Thompson Man Charged In Girl's Kidnapping, Sex Assault: Feds

THOMPSON, CT — A local man was arrested and charged with kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 12-year-old Massachusetts girl, according to a statement from federal authorities. Joshua, Besaw, 35, was charged with kidnapping and transportation of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.

If found guilty on these charges, Besaw could face life in prison.

According to the statement, Besaw encountered the girl at a park in Webster, Mass., and enticed the girl into his vehicle. He then drove the victim to a wooded area in Thompson where he sexually assaulted her.

Besaw then drove the victim to Dudley, Mass., where he left her in a neighborhood unfamiliar to her, the statement read. The girl borrowed a phone from a stranger and was able to call her parents.

Her parents picked her up and brought her to the police station to report the incident. Later that day, a sexual assault examination of the victim was conducted at a medical facility.

Besaw was identified as a suspect after an extensive investigation led by Webster Police with support from Connecticut State Police, which included analysis of surveillance video collected from numerous residences and businesses in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

On July 10, investigators conducting surveillance of Besaw collected cigarette butts that Besaw had discarded. Prosecutors say that DNA evidence collected from the discarded cigarette butts matched DNA evidence collected from the minor victim on May 31.