Richard Cruz, 51, was sentenced to 40 to 50 years in state prison for molesting two girls “several thousand times,” including multiple counts of forcible rape of a child and related assaults, prosecutors said.
A New Bedford man who prosecutors said sexually molested two girls “several thousand times” was sentenced to spend 40 to 50 years in state prison after a conviction on multiple child-rape and assault charges.
Richard Cruz. 51. was sentenced Thursday. according to the office of Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn. which announced the punishment in a press release. The district attorney’s office said Cruz was convicted on Thursday of three counts of forcible rape of a child. two counts of aggravated rape of a child by age. and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14.
During trial. two women testified that Cruz repeatedly sexually molested and raped them throughout their childhoods. the Bristol County district attorney’s office said. One victim told jurors of “countless incidents” from the years 2000 to 2008 in which Cruz sexually assaulted her, prosecutors said. During the time of those assaults, the victim was between the ages of 7 and 14, the local DA said.
A second woman described “many numerous incidents of rape and sexual molestation” from the years 2015 and 2019, according to Quinn’s office. Prosecutors said that victim was between the ages of 8 and 11 when Cruz assaulted her.
Prosecutors said both victims recounted that, on numerous occasions, they were shown pornography by Cruz, were forced to perform sex acts on him, and were raped and sexually assaulted.
The district attorney’s office also said both victims’ mothers were in relationships with Cruz during the time of the assaults.
Quinn said in the release that “the defendant molested the two young victims several thousand times which is beyond comprehension.” He called the conduct “depraved and extremely disturbing. ” and said. “I commend the victims for their courage and perseverance during the seven plus years that the case was pending. ” according to the press release.
An attorney for Cruz did not respond to a request for comment Sunday night.
In the reporting of the case. the timeline spans two separate childhood periods—2000 to 2008 for one victim and 2015 to 2019 for the other—while both accounts describe repeated assaults. including pornography and forced sex acts. in circumstances where the victims’ mothers were also linked to Cruz through relationships.
Richard Cruz New Bedford Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn child rape forcible rape aggravated rape indecent assault and battery sentencing