Melissa's Law Puts Arlington Rape Defendant Away for Life

WOBURN, MA—Thanks to “Melissa’s Law,”legislature that dictates increased penalties for violent offenders, a 46-year-old rape defendant will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan announced Tuesday that Essie Billingslea of Boston was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Billingslea was charged with aggravated rape, armed assault in a dwelling and home invasion.

“The defendant in this case is a violent offender who has displayed a consistent pattern of dangerous and frightening behavior,” said District Attorney Ryan in the announcement. “Now that he has been found to be a habitual offender, today’s sentencing ensures that the defendant will serve the entirety of his sentence for the brutal rape he was convicted of and that he will be unable to reoffend.”

Arlington Police responded to a well-being check and observed the defendant fleeing the house. After an immediate investigation, authorities learned that the defendant forced his way into the home and sexually assaulted the victim.

Judge Thomas Billings had determined that the defendant was a habitual offender under Melissa’s Law, which requires that violent offenders serve the maximum penalty for their third conviction.

The defendant was also sentenced to 10 year in state prison for kidnapping and 20 years in prison on the charge of assault with intent to rape. The defendant received 25 years probation on the charge of breaking and entering in the daytime and assault with a dangerous weapon and was ordered to have no contact with victims or witnesses and is not permitted to profit from his crime, according to a release.

Billingslea has a long history of violent and sexual assaults and has been twice before convicted of serious sexual assaults that classify him as type of offender targeted by Melissa’s law, according to the release.