"Craigslist Rapist" Sentenced to Nine to Twelve Years

A Framingham man has been sentenced after being found guilty of aggravated rape against one female victim and armed robbery charges and intimidation of a witness against three female victims he solicited from Craig’s List, Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone informed the public in a press release yesterday.

According to Leone, Reinaldo Prado, 30, of Framingham, was found guilty by a Middlesex Superior Court jury on September 26 on charges of aggravated rape, armed robbery (three counts), and intimidation of a witness (three counts).  He was found not guilty of 2 of the 3 counts of aggravated rape and 3 counts of indecent assault and battery. 

Middlesex Superior Court Judge Kathe Tuttman sentenced the defendant to nine to twelve years in state prison on the aggravated rape and armed robbery charges, the release states. Judge Tuttman also sentenced the defendant to 20 years probation on the intimidation of a witness counts which is to run concurrent with the defendant’s prison sentence with conditions that the defendant not to have direct or indirect contact with any of the victims, can not disseminate the case materials to persons other than the defendant’s legal representation, ordered not to profit from the case, ordered to abide by any and all federal, state, and local laws including immigration and deportation laws.

According to authorities, within a two-day period between January 24 and January 25, 2009, the defendant committed a series of armed robberies in Burlington and Tewksbury, of prostitutes who posted their services on Craig’s List, the release explains. 

On January 24, 2009, the defendant contacted the first victim on Craig’s List and arranged to meet with her at a hotel in Burlington.  Once the defendant arrived at the hotel room, he robbed the victim at gunpoint and raped her.  He then took her identification and told her he knew where she lived and that if she called the police, he would kill her.

On January 25, the defendant contacted two additional women who had posted their services online and arranged to meet them at a hotel in Tewksbury.  Upon arrival at the hotel, the defendant tied up the two victims with zip ties and robbed them while telling them he was going to kill them.  In the commission of the robbery, the defendant stole the victims’ money, cellular phones, laptops and other personal items.  Additionally, the defendant took the victims’ passports and told them that he knew where they lived and would kill them if they called police.

After a thorough investigation, authorities executed a search warrant on the defendant’s vehicle and home and arrested him on January 30, 2009.  During the search, police recovered cell phones, knives, zip ties and paperwork with the victim’s contact information in the defendant’s truck.  Inside the defendant’s home, authorities located the victims’ computers, cell phones and the victims’ passports.

Prado was arraigned in Framingham District Court on February 2, 2009 where he was ordered held pending a dangerousness hearing.  He was indicted by a Middlesex grand jury on March 31, 2009.

The prosecutors assigned to this case are Assistant District Attorney Elisha Willis and Assistant District Attorney Michael Shiposh.  The Victim Witness Advocate is Danielle DeMeo.  This case was investigated by Burlington, Tewksbury,  Cambridge and Framingham Police in cooperation with the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office.