A Dorchester woman has been sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison for the kidnapping and assault of a minor, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced, in a severe case that highlighted past criminal behavior and current accountability. Charles Horton, 47, will also face five years of probation following her prison term after being convicted on numerous charges, including two counts of aggravated kidnapping and one count of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over.
The sentencing took place in Suffolk County Superior Court, where Judge Debra Squires-Lee handed down the sentence, which could extend up to 35 years in prison. The case stemmed from two separate incidents in 2019 and 2020, where Horton kidnapped a 14-year-old at gunpoint. The victim, now 20, expressed through an impact statement the profound effects the crimes have had on their life, saying to the Suffolk District Attorney website, 'They took my potential, my confidence and my joy,' and detailing the loss of their teenage years, which cannot be returned.
During the trial, the victim's bravery was noted by Judge Squires-Lee who commended their courage to testify, ensuring them they would "find (your) way forward because I saw that bravery," a gesture highlighting the challenging path to healing the victim must now embark on, as detailed by the Suffolk District Attorney website. The incidents involved Horton abducting the victim, with the use of a weapon and various threats, in one instance, forcing a penile shaped object into the victim's mouth and in another instance, involving the victim's younger sister and cousin after another abduction during a party on Geneva Avenue.
Horton's past also reflects a troubling pattern: she previously pleaded guilty to sexual assault and kidnapping of a child under the age of 14 in 2000, and since then has been a registered level three sex offender, a fact that underscores the gravity of her recurring offenses. In the investigation leading to her recent conviction, police found clothing matching the victim's descriptions, including a distinctive hat adorned with a marijuana leaf and also recovered two firearms from Horton's residence, with Horton admitting her identity when confronted with surveillance images during a police interview.
The Suffolk County District Attorney's office, serving the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Massachusetts, handles over 20,000 cases a year and employs around 300 people, this conviction and sentence comes as part of their broader commitment to public safety and justice for victims of crime. For more details on the conviction or the DA's office, visit their website at suffolkdistrictattorney.com.
