East Greenwich Man, 41, Charged With Rape Of 15-Year-Old MA Girl

EAST GREENWICH, RI — A Rhode Island man is facing facing charges after the Middlesex, Massachusetts District Attorney said he had sex with a 15-year-old girl. Rocco Pelopida, 41, of East Greenwich was arraigned on Thursday on charges of aggravated statutory rape of a child, enticement of a child under the age of 16, paying for sexual conduct with a child under 18 and inducing a child to become a prostitute.

According to District Attorney Marian Ryan's office, Pelopida met the victim on the website Casual Encounters and they arranged to meet over Snapchat.

On Wednesday, Pelopida was arrested in Concord, Massachusetts after the girl's parents tracked her phone after she left the house and called 911. When police arrived, Pelopida and the girl were inside his vehicle. Concord police said Pelopida offered the victim money in exchange for the sexual encounter.

Pelopida's bail was set at $25,000. The judge ordered that he surrender his passport is he posts bail and not to have any contact with the victim, her family or anyone under the age of 18.