A vocational instructor on Cape Cod is under fire, charged with raping an adult student with disabilities. In a disturbing betrayal of trust piled atop a heinous alleged crime, Fredrick W. Walters, 60, of Brewster, Massachusetts, finds himself accused of incidents both on and off-campus, Boston 25 News reported.
The Brewster Police filed a report on the tragic case, detailing the accusations from a 22-year-old student with significant developmental delays who claimed Walters had sexually assaulted her multiple times. During what was supposed to be a run-of-the-mill off-campus excursion for supplies, the educator is said to have brought the young woman to his home instead, where he allegedly raped her. According to the victim's testimony in a court document, "It was so scary ... I was nervous." Walters has been hit with a slate of charges, including rape, indecent assault, and battery on someone with a disability, along with witness intimidation for threatening to call the police on the student if she came forward with her story; this was reported by WCVB.
Walters was arraigned at the Orleans District Court and has pleaded not guilty to all charges, according to Boston 25 News. His release was granted based on a $5,000 cash bail with the condition of a GPS monitoring device ensuring he stays clear of the victim. Investigations into the matter began subsequent to the allegations surfacing in October, leading a clerk magistrate to find probable cause for the charges on November 15th.
The accused man was a longtime staff member at Latham Centers in Brewster, an organization dedicated to assisting individuals, including those with Prader-Willi syndrome, a condition known to cause developmental delays and mild cognitive impairment. Karen Schwartzman, a spokesperson for Latham Centers, expressed dismay at the allegations, asserting in a statement to Boston 25 News, "Our highest priority is to keep our students safe and our staff works tirelessly to ensure that no student in our care is ever at risk. That any person, while employed at Latham, could have acted towards a member of our community in such a way as to be criminally charged is an offense not only to the student he put in jeopardy but to every member of our staff."
Walters' legal counsel, attorney Nathan Amendola, told reporters that Walters maintains his innocence and is looking forward to proving it in court.
