Brockton Man Gets 12-13 Years for Raping, Impregnating 12-Year-Old

BROCKTON, MA - A Brockton man who admitted to raping and impregnating a 12-year-old girl was sentenced Tuesday to 12 to 13 years in state prison.

Elbert Richardson, 56, pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated rape of a child, one count of rape of a child and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, according to the Plymouth County District Attorney's office. He will serve five years of probation after his jail time.

Prosecutors had asked for 15 to 17 years.

“The facts of this case were particularly disturbing,” District Attorney Timothy Cruz said in a statement. “Mr. Richardson pleading guilty has spared this young child from being further victimized at trial. My hope is that this entire family can finally now begin the healing process.”

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Richardson initially pleaded not guilty, but two paternity tests taken in August identified him as the father of the baby.

Cynthia Potts, a spokeswoman for the National Children's Advocacy Center in Alabama, told the Enterprise the sentence was too lenient.

"I don't think that any sentence other than life sentence is ever enough," she told the Enterprise. "A 12-year old having a baby? I mean, it's horrific, it really is, to think that this is happening."

The victim said she discovered she was eight months pregnant in November 2014 after complaining about her growing stomach. Following an investigation by the Brockton Police Department, it was discovered that Richardson assaulted and raped the victim several times.

In December 2014, Richardson was arraigned on the charges.

The victim gave birth to the baby in January 2015.