Fall River man sentenced for sexually assaulting two young relatives

A 32-year-old Fall River man, who sexually assaulted two young relatives, was sentenced to serve eight to 10 years in state prison, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

According to Gregg Miliote, Lamar Haston pleaded guilty in Fall River Superior Court to a multi-count indictment charging him with two counts of rape by force and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person under 14.

The defendant was accused of entering the bedroom of two young relatives, ages 11 and 13, in 2015. The 11-year-old told school personnel in Fall River that the defendant got into the bed she shares with her 13-year-old sister and felt the bed moving around. She then reported hearing him say, “we are almost done” and “you can get nails tomorrow.” The 13-year-old victim initially denied any sexual contact with the defendant. Police, however, went to the Fall River home, retrieved the girl’s underwear and, after forensic testing, determined it contained the defendant’s seminal fluid.

Two months later, the 13-year-old victim admitted to a family friend that she had sex with the defendant on at least one occasion and that the defendant had also fondled her breasts on another occasion.

After the 13-year-old admitted the defendant has raped her, the 11-year-old told her mother that the defendant had also molested her via digital penetration and the touching of her buttocks. The incidents involving the 11-year-old occurred when the girl stayed overnight at a relative’s home in New Bedford.

All incidents involving both girls occurred in 2015.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lesley Leahy and the eight to 10 year state prison term was handed down by Judge Raffi Yessayan. In addition to the state prison sentence, the judge also placed the defendant on supervised probation for 10 years, which will commence upon his release from prison.

“This defendant sexually abused two young girls who had placed their trust in him as their relative. He took advantage of their age and his access to them in the home and engaged in very offensive criminal conduct,” District Attorney Quinn said. “Fortunately the victims did not have to testify in this case. I hope they can move forward with their lives. The sentence imposed by the court was well deserved.”