Monday, September 23, 2013
Northbridge couple sentenced to 16-22 years for child rapes
| In this composite of two separate photographs, Linda and Joseph Mayotte of Northbridge are led into Worcester Superior Court for sentencing Monday. (T&G Staff/RICK CINCLAIR) |
WORCESTER — A judge sentenced a Northbridge woman to 18 to 22 years in
prison Monday and her husband to 16 to 20 years for sexually assaulting
two children who were in the couple's care.
Linda Mayotte and Joseph Mayotte, both 50 and both formerly of 67 Laura Lane, Northbridge, were convicted Aug. 8 of multiple counts of child sexual assault after a jury trial in Worcester Superior Court.
A jury convicted Mrs. Mayotte of initiating a two-year sexual relationship with a boy in the couple's care beginning when he was 13 and ending in 2007, when she became pregnant with the teen's child.
Her husband was found guilty of sexually abusing a girl, also in the couple's care, over a span of nearly five years beginning when she was 8 years old.
Mrs. Mayotte was convicted of three counts of child rape, five counts of indecent assault and battery on a child, five counts of indecent assault and battery, a morals offense, reckless endangerment of a child, intimidation of a witness, resisting arrest and unlawful possession of a firearm.
The gun charge involved a weapon in Mrs. Mayotte's possession at the time of her arrest in 2009.
Mr. Mayotte was found guilty of child rape aggravated by age difference, two counts of child rape, three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child, assault with intent to rape, dissemination of matter harmful to a minor, a morals offense, reckless endangerment of a child and improper storage of a firearm.
Judge Richard T. Tucker sentenced Mrs. Mayotte to 18 to 22 years in Framingham State Prison Monday after granting her lawyer's request that she first undergo a psychological evaluation to determine her mental competency. Lawyer Laurel A. Singer told the judge she had concerns about whether her client understood the nature of the court proceeding against her. The lawyer said her concerns were based on a conversation she recently had with Mrs. Mayotte at Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, where she has remained in custody since an apparent suicide attempt on the night of Aug. 7.
Alan Schonberger, a court-designated forensic psychologist who conducted the evaluation and deemed Mrs. Mayotte competent, made reference to the suicide attempt in his report to the court, saying he was told that Mrs. Mayotte slit her wrists and drank drain cleaner. Mr. Schonberger said it was his opinion Mrs. Mayotte, who reported to him that she has experienced hallucinations in the past, was suffering from depression disorder.
Judge Tucker sentenced Mr. Mayotte to 16 to 20 years' imprisonment.
Assistant District Attorney Cheryl R. Riddle had recommended that Mrs. Mayotte be sentenced to 30 to 33 years and that her husband be sentenced to 25 to 30 years.
Calling the couple's crimes "jaw-dropping and shocking," Ms. Riddle said there were "no mitigating factors" in the case. The prosecutor recommended a more severe sentence for Mrs. Mayotte, partly because of her efforts to silence the female victim on more than one occasion when she tried to report the sexual assaults.
Ms. Riddle told the court the crimes committed against the two victims "will keep them prisoners of their childhood for the rest of their lives."
"Let them burn in hell," Mrs. Mayotte's victim, now 21, said in an impact statement after telling the court he has nightmares every night.
"I will slowly begin to heal, knowing the Mayottes can no longer harm us," said the 17-year-old female victim.
Ms. Singer, citing her client's "mental illness" and lack of a criminal record, recommended that she be sentenced to 5 to 7 years, with five years of probation to follow. She said the proposed sentence was in keeping with advisory sentencing guidelines.
Mrs. Mayotte, who was in a wheelchair, appeared to vomit into a plastic bag as her lawyer was addressing the court.
Lawyer Christopher P. LoConto, representing Mr. Mayotte, asked that his client be sentenced to 10 to 11 years with five years of probation to follow his release from custody. Mr. Mayotte was facing a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years on the conviction for child rape aggravated by age difference.
Linda Mayotte and Joseph Mayotte, both 50 and both formerly of 67 Laura Lane, Northbridge, were convicted Aug. 8 of multiple counts of child sexual assault after a jury trial in Worcester Superior Court.
A jury convicted Mrs. Mayotte of initiating a two-year sexual relationship with a boy in the couple's care beginning when he was 13 and ending in 2007, when she became pregnant with the teen's child.
Her husband was found guilty of sexually abusing a girl, also in the couple's care, over a span of nearly five years beginning when she was 8 years old.
Mrs. Mayotte was convicted of three counts of child rape, five counts of indecent assault and battery on a child, five counts of indecent assault and battery, a morals offense, reckless endangerment of a child, intimidation of a witness, resisting arrest and unlawful possession of a firearm.
The gun charge involved a weapon in Mrs. Mayotte's possession at the time of her arrest in 2009.
Mr. Mayotte was found guilty of child rape aggravated by age difference, two counts of child rape, three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child, assault with intent to rape, dissemination of matter harmful to a minor, a morals offense, reckless endangerment of a child and improper storage of a firearm.
Judge Richard T. Tucker sentenced Mrs. Mayotte to 18 to 22 years in Framingham State Prison Monday after granting her lawyer's request that she first undergo a psychological evaluation to determine her mental competency. Lawyer Laurel A. Singer told the judge she had concerns about whether her client understood the nature of the court proceeding against her. The lawyer said her concerns were based on a conversation she recently had with Mrs. Mayotte at Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, where she has remained in custody since an apparent suicide attempt on the night of Aug. 7.
Alan Schonberger, a court-designated forensic psychologist who conducted the evaluation and deemed Mrs. Mayotte competent, made reference to the suicide attempt in his report to the court, saying he was told that Mrs. Mayotte slit her wrists and drank drain cleaner. Mr. Schonberger said it was his opinion Mrs. Mayotte, who reported to him that she has experienced hallucinations in the past, was suffering from depression disorder.
Judge Tucker sentenced Mr. Mayotte to 16 to 20 years' imprisonment.
Assistant District Attorney Cheryl R. Riddle had recommended that Mrs. Mayotte be sentenced to 30 to 33 years and that her husband be sentenced to 25 to 30 years.
Calling the couple's crimes "jaw-dropping and shocking," Ms. Riddle said there were "no mitigating factors" in the case. The prosecutor recommended a more severe sentence for Mrs. Mayotte, partly because of her efforts to silence the female victim on more than one occasion when she tried to report the sexual assaults.
Ms. Riddle told the court the crimes committed against the two victims "will keep them prisoners of their childhood for the rest of their lives."
"Let them burn in hell," Mrs. Mayotte's victim, now 21, said in an impact statement after telling the court he has nightmares every night.
"I will slowly begin to heal, knowing the Mayottes can no longer harm us," said the 17-year-old female victim.
Ms. Singer, citing her client's "mental illness" and lack of a criminal record, recommended that she be sentenced to 5 to 7 years, with five years of probation to follow. She said the proposed sentence was in keeping with advisory sentencing guidelines.
Mrs. Mayotte, who was in a wheelchair, appeared to vomit into a plastic bag as her lawyer was addressing the court.
Lawyer Christopher P. LoConto, representing Mr. Mayotte, asked that his client be sentenced to 10 to 11 years with five years of probation to follow his release from custody. Mr. Mayotte was facing a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years on the conviction for child rape aggravated by age difference.
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Fuente: http://www.telegram.com/article/20130923/NEWS/309239726/1116
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