Man who dressed as superhero and interacted with children in Rhode Island and Massachusetts sentenced for raping 10-year-old, recording it

BOSTON – A Massachusetts man formerly of Rhode Island who was known to dress up as a superhero, interacting with children, was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for child exploitation offenses.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Justice, 26-year-old Jalen Latimer of Roxbury, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 28 years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date. In December 2024, Latimer pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Latimer is currently serving a state prison sentence on related offenses. The defendant was previously charged by criminal complaint with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor on Feb. 16, 2024.

In July 2022, Latimer and another adult recorded themselves raping a ten year old. The minor victim’s five year old sibling was used to create the recording of the sexual assault. Over a year later, in July 2023, Latimer conspired with that same adult to arrange the sexual assault of another child. Latimer was asked to pay $50 for the child, however, Latimer offered $20 and marijuana.

Latimer was arrested in January 2024. He was subsequently convicted by state authorities in Worcester Superior Court of three counts of aggravated rape of a child, four counts of aggravated indecent assault and battery on a child and human trafficking of a minor. On March 17, 2024, he was sentenced to 15 years in state prison which will run concurrent with the federal sentence.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Worcester Police Chief Paul B. Saucier; and Oxford Police Chief Michael K. Daniels made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Rhode Island State Police and Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.