Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that Daniel Lane (age 47), of Woonsocket, yesterday pled nolo contendere before Superior Court Magistrate Patrick T. Burke to one count of first degree child molestation and one count of first degree sexual assault. Under the terms of the plea agreement, which was reached with the approval of the victim, Lane was sentenced to 60 years with 22 years to serve and the remainder suspended with probation. He was ordered to have no contact with the victim, undergo sex offender counseling and comply with sex offender registration and notification as mandated by statute.
Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove that the defendant molested a young girl known to him on multiple occasions over six years from 1994 to 2000 from the time the victim was approximately nine years of age to 15 years of age.
The victim reported the crime to Woonsocket Police Department on September 19, 2014. Lane has been held without bail since his arrest on September 26, 2014.
Woonsocket Police Detective Anthony Conetta led the investigation. Special Assistant Attorney General Laura Welch prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.
"Abused by someone she trusted, this young woman showed tremendous strength and courage in reporting the sexual assault," said Attorney General Peter Kilmartin. "This plea spares the victim further trauma by avoiding to have to relive the abuse yet again and ensures the defendant will pay for his deviance and depravity."