Providence Man Convicted Of Molesting Girl Under Age 14 In Coventry

PROVIDENCE, RI — A Providence man was convicted Monday in Kent County Superior Court after prosecutors proved he sexually assaulted a girl who was under 14 in Coventry, Attorney General peter Neronha said Friday.

Following a four-day trial, a jury found Craig Preuit, 43, guilty of second-degree child molestation. He is being held without bail at the Rhode Island Adult Correctional Institutions until a sentencing hearing on Nov. 17.

"Child molestation is an unspeakable crime that forever alters a child’s life,"Neronha said. "This victim’s bravery in coming forward is extraordinary, and her testimony will help prevent other children from experiencing similar trauma at the hands of this defendant. I thank the Coventry Police Department for their outstanding work and partnership during the investigation and prosecution of this case."

During the trial, state prosecutors proved that sometime between 2018 and 2020, Preuit sexually assaulted a girl he knew in Coventry.

"I would like to thank the Attorney General’s Office and CPD’s (Coventry Police Department) Special Victims Unit on their exemplary efforts on the successful prosecution of this predatory offender, all while commending the courageous testimony of the victim, a child," Coventry Police Chief Frederick Heise said. "These cases are never easy on the families that often bear through a years-long process, and it is the Coventry Police Department’s hope that this guilty verdict will help in the healing process."

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