A New Bedford man was sentenced to up to 30 years in prison after he was found guilty of raping two girls, as per statements from the office of Bristol District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn. 35-year-old Joel Berberena faced conviction on multiple counts, including rape and molestation of children.
According to a report by The Boston Globe, the assaults involved a 12-year-old girl who was staying with a close relative of Berberena's and another girl, also closely related to Berberena. Berberena was said to serve 23 to 30 years in state prison and followed by a supervised probation period of seven years.
In a trial that saw both victims testify against Berberena, charges included two counts of rape of a child, aggravated by age difference, four counts of indecent assault and battery on a person under the age of 14, rape of a child by force, and indecent assault and battery on a person over the age of 14. "The defendant engaged in depraved conduct by raping a close relative and another relative’s friend," stated Quinn, quoted by WBSM.
After the final ruling, District Attorney Quinn praised the two young victims for their courage and determination, saying, "I commend the victims for their fortitude and perseverance for testifying in this case under very difficult circumstances," as reported by WBSM. The lengthy sentence was deemed appropriate given the severity of Berberena's crimes, while the survivors bravely confronted their attacker in court.
