Massachusetts man sentenced to prison in Rhode Island after committing crimes against a child he knew

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Attorney General Peter Neronha has announced that a Massachusetts man has been sentenced in Kent County Superior Court to 25 years at the Adult Correctional Institutions after a jury found him guilty of child molestation.

On May 21, 2026, Superior Court Justice Brian Van Couyghen sentenced 60-year-old Carlos Vaquerano Zelaya to 45 years with 25 years to serve at the ACI and 20 years of probation following his release. Additionally, Judge Van Couyghen ordered that the defendant register as a sex offender and undergo sex offender counseling, issued a No Contact Order between the defendant and the victim, and ordered he have no unsupervised contact with minors.

Following the conclusion of a four-day trial, a jury found the defendant guilty of two counts of second-degree child molestation and one count of simple assault.

“Every child deserves to grow up in an environment safe from harm,” said Attorney General Neronha. “This victim demonstrated immense courage, which allowed us to achieve justice on her behalf. When victims feel supported and empowered to come forward, we can hold more perpetrators accountable. I am grateful to the West Warwick Police Department for their partnership on this difficult case.”

During the trial, the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt that in 2022, the defendant sexually assaulted a juvenile female victim who was known to him.

“I commend the victim for great bravery throughout the investigation and prosecution of this case,” said Colonel Ernest Lavigne, Chief of West Warwick Police Department. “Thank you to the members of the West Warwick Police Department and the Office of the Attorney General who worked diligently to ensure that justice was served.”