Essex County DA: Verdict Sends Message to Every Person Who Has Been Victimized by a Dating Partner or a Spouse

Two rapists were convicted in Essex County this week. In one case, the defendant was the victim’s boyfriend and in the other the victim was a child, according to Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett.

A 30-year old Haverhill man, Jeffrey Lewis, was convicted on Wednesday in Lawrence Superior Court of raping his girlfriend in 2013. Judge Joshua Wall sentenced Lewis to four to six years in state prison after a jury convicted him on Tuesday.

Lewis was charged with four counts of rape and one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Judge Wall also ordered him to serve five years of probation upon his release from prison.

Essex Assistant District Attorney Kim Gillespie introduced evidence that proved that the defendant raped his girlfriend four times on three separate occasions in 2013, according to the district attorney’s office.

On two occasions the rapes took place in the Haverhill apartment that they sometimes shared. On July 11, 2013, the defendant was arrested for a domestic assault and battery by Haverhill Police. When the victim sought a restraining order, she disclosed that she had been forced to have sexual relations with the defendant.

“This verdict sends a message to every person who has been victimized by a dating partner or a spouse,” Mr. Blodgett said in a statement. “Just because you are married or dating does not mean you cannot be raped.”

Essex Victim Witness Advocate Tiffany Sullivan provided assistance and support to the victim.

“I commend the victim for her courage and hope that the verdict provides her the opportunity to put this terrible crime behind her,” Mr. Blodgett said.

Essex Victim Witness Advocate Tiffany Sullivan provided assistance and support to the victim.

The defendant was represented by Attorney Ronald Ranta.

Another rape case concluded on Wednesday with a conviction.

Sebastiao Dasilva, 51, of Haverhill, was found guilty by a jury in Salem Superior Court of rape of a child with force, assault to rape a child, and eight counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14. Judge Timothy Feeley sentenced Dasilva to nine to 12 years in state prison followed by five years of probation during which he must submit to sex offender treatment, have no unsupervised contact with children under 16 and have no contact with the victim, her sisters and her mother.

Essex Assistant District Attorney Ashlee Logan introduced evidence that proved that the defendant sexually assaulted a young girl beginning in 2007, when she was between the ages of 9 and 13 in a Haverhill apartment, according to the district attorney’s office.

Essex Victim Advocate Jocelyn Pichardo provided assistance and support to the victim and her family.

Mr. Dasilva was represented by Attorney Victoria Ranieri.

Both prosecutors commended Haverhill Police Detective Joe Benedetti for his work on each investigation.