Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that Superior Court Justice Luis Matos sentenced Ernest Sabourin (age 75), with a last known address of 120 Earle Street, Central Falls, to 25 years to serve for two counts of first degree sexual assault, one count of second degree sexual assault, and two counts of simple assault. In addition, Justice Matos ordered Sabourin to have no contact with the victim, undergo sex offender counseling and comply with the sex offender registration and notification requirements upon release. Sabourin was found guilty by a jury on May 8, 2015 after a three-day trial.
During the course of the trial, the State proved that on the night of April 5, 2014 and into the morning on April 6, 2014, Sabourin sexually assaulted a 23-year-old female, who at the time he believed to be his biological daughter.
On April 5, 2014, the victim went to a party with some relatives where she consumed a significant amount of alcohol. Intoxicated and needing assistance, partygoers transported the victim back to the defendant's home where she passed out on the couch.
It is at this point the defendant took advantage of the opportunity to sexually assault a helpless target. At some point during the assault, the victim blacked out. The following morning, the victim filed a complaint with the Central Falls Police Department and an examination was performed and a sexual assault evidence kit was taken at Women and Infants Hospital.
DNA evidence taken from the defendant matched the DNA from the sexual assault evidence kit. The DNA also proved that the victim and defendant were not in fact father and daughter as they had previously thought.
The defendant has been previously convicted of indecent assault and carnal knowledge of a child in 1978 and felony assault upon a woman in 2002.
Central Falls Police led the investigation. Special Assistant Attorney General Daniel Griffin, with assistance from Assistant Attorney General and Chief of the Criminal Division Stacey Veroni, prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.