Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that David Hindle (age 34), of Charlestown, waived indictment and pleaded nolo contendere before Superior Court Justice Melanie Wilk Thunberg today to two counts of first degree sexual assault. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Hindle was sentenced to concurrent terms of 40 years with 18 years to serve and the remainder suspended with probation. He was also sentenced to one year suspended with probation, to run concurrent to the other sentence, on a charge of possession of a controlled substance. In addition, Hindle was ordered to have no contact with the victim, must undergo sex offender counseling, and is subject to lifetime sex offender registration and community notification.
Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove that on June 24, 2015, Hindle gave a 15-year-old girl a controlled substance, a benzodiazepine, and then sexually assaulted her.
At the time of the sexual assault, Hindle was out on bail stemming from an arrest in November, 2014 for possession of a controlled substance. He was declared to be a bail violator and has been held at the ACI since his arrest in June 2015 for the sexual assault.
"David Hindle brutally assaulted a young girl after plying her with opioid drugs," said Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin. "I commend the tremendous strength and courage shown by this victim, who came forward to report the horrific abuse committed by someone she trusted. I hope today's plea helps the victim and her family in their healing process."
Detective Ryan Gwaltney of the Charlestown Police Department led the investigation and Special Assistant Attorney General Charles Calenda prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.