Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that Eric Menash (age 38), of Pawtucket, was found guilty by a Providence County Superior Court jury of two counts of first degree child molestation and two counts of second degree child molestation. The jury returned the verdict in less than two hours after a 10-day trial presided over by Superior Court Justice Netti C. Vogel.
During the trial, the State proved that Menash molested his biological daughter on multiple locations between August 30, 2013 and December 20, 2015. The molestation began after the child moved from Ghana to Pawtucket to reside with her father.
The victim testified during the trial that she was afraid to report the molestation because the defendant physically assaulted and threatened her if she disclosed. The victim finally disclosed to her babysitter the physical and sexual abuse on December 20, 2015. The next morning, the babysitter reported the abuse and molestation to a school counselor who in turn contacted DCYF.
A forensic interview was conducted at the Children's Advocacy Center at Day One on December 22, 2015, after which the defendant was arrested and charged by the Pawtucket Police Department.
After the verdict, the defendant was remanded to the ACI pending sentencing.
Pawtucket Police Detectives Charles "Chip" Devine and Carrie Hormanski led the investigation and Special Assistant Attorney General and Chief of the Child Abuse Unit Shannon Signore prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.