Boston Prosecutors Drop Rape Charge Against Former Youth Counselor

Prosecutors in Massachusetts have dropped the rape charge against Derrick Patrick, a former youth counselor. Patrick, 36, was accused of sexually assaulting a teenager at the Ella J. Baker House, a troubled youth center where he worked in Boston’s Dorchester area.

The rape charge was dropped after prosecutors carefully reviewed the facts and completed an “extensive consultation” with the alleged victim.

Patrick, as part of his plea deal, instead pleaded guilty to four misdemeanor counts of having sex for a fee. His sentence is 60 days in prison and two years probation. He served the 60 days while waiting for his trial.

The Suffolk District Attorney’s Office says that Patrick paid a 17-year-old girl four times for sexual intercourse. The teenager accused him of raping her at a Baker House bathroom after she wouldn’t have sex with him in January 2006. He denied the rape charge. A DNA test did not connect Patrick to the girl.

In Massachusetts, the law defines rape as “sexual intercourse or unnatural sexual intercourse,” and includes several classifications of rape:

• Statutory Rape of a Child (a person under 16 years of age)
• Forcible Rape of a Child
• Aggravated Rape of an Adult (a person over 16 years of age)
• Aggravated Rape of an Adult

Punishment for raping a child can lead to life imprison. Depending on the kind of rape act performed on an adult, a person convicted of rape could spend anywhere from 20 years to life in prison.

Rape Charge Dropped Against Former Counselor, Boston.com, June 30, 2007
False Rape Accusations May Be More Common Than Thought, Foxnews.com, May 2, 2006
Sexual Assault & Rape, Norfolk District Attorney’s Office

Related Web Resource:

Massachusetts Law About Sex

If you have been wrongfully charged with committing a rape crime, you must hire a criminal attorney immediately. There may be strong evidence that can prove you are not guilty. An experienced criminal defense lawyer can prove your innocence or try to negotiate a plea deal where the charges against you or your sentencing can be reduced.

False rape accusations are not uncommon. A 1996 U.S. Department of Justice study called “Convicted by Juries, Exonerated by Science: Case Studies in the Use of DNA Evidence to Establish Innocence After Trial” documents 28 rape cases where 27 individuals that had been convicted by juries were later exonerated because of DNA tests.

Altman & Altman LLP represents clients charged with rape, sexual assault, and other crimes in the Boston area. We are known for our creative, thorough, successful and aggressive representation. Call our law offices at (877) 721-4732 or at (617) 206-1942 to speak with one of our criminal defense lawyers.

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