Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin today announced that Jesse Perry (age 61), with a last known address of 140 Beattie Street, Fall River, was sentenced to a term of life for child molestation. In addition, Perry was ordered to undergo sex offender counseling, must comply with sex offender registration and notification upon release and ordered to have no contact with the victim.
Perry was found guilty in January, 2015 of two counts of first degree child molestation and one count of second degree child molestation. The verdict was handed down by Superior Court Justice Netti C. Vogel after a jury-waived trial. Justice Vogel sentenced Perry to a term of life for each count of first degree child molestation and 30 years for the count of second degree child molestation, sentences to run concurrent.
During the course of the trial, the State proved that Perry molested a young man on multiple occasions between 1990 and 1997. The victim testified that Perry was his youth football coach and a father-like figure to him. The molestation began when he was approximately 10 years old and continued until the young man was age 17.
Through a separate investigation, Bristol Police interviewed the victim, who disclosed the abuse in December of 2012.
"The defendant used his position of power and respect in the community to prey on a young boy for his own personal sexual gratification. He then manipulated his victim for years with threats of abandonment and suicide to maintain the relationship. His actions were not that of a loving parental figure but rather those of a depraved sexual predator," said Attorney General Kilmartin.
During the trial, Justice Vogel also heard testimony from three other individuals who reported being inappropriately touched by the defendant in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The molestations were reported to Bristol Police in 2004 but the statute of limitations had expired and the State was unable to proceed forward with charges.
"I commend the victims who came forward to testify despite the statutes of limitations expiring on their cases. It takes tremendous courage to share their traumatic experiences to ensure that justice is done and that the defendant cannot hurt another child," added Kilmartin
Bristol Police Sgt. Steve St. Pierre led the investigation with assistance from the Rhode Island State Police Detective Matthew Salisbury. Special Assistant Attorneys General John Dean and Shannon Signore, Chief of the Child Abuse Unit, prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.