Woonsocket Woman Says She Was Held As Sex Slave For 3 Weeks

WOONSOCKET, RI — A Woonsocket man is facing charges of sexual assault, kidnapping and assault with a dangerous weapon after a 19-year-old woman said she was held as a sex slave for three weeks in his Providence Street apartment. Kendra Bianco, of Woonsocket, told ABC6-TV she was forced to have sex, was starved and beaten with a pistol.

Francisco Dias, 48, was arrested on Wednesday and scheduled to appear in Providence District Court on Thursday where he was held without bail on 17 counts of first-degree sexual assault and other charges.

In the sitdown interview with ABC6-TV’s Brooke Taylor, Bianco said she feared for her life if she left the apartment and was told her family no longer wanted anything to do with her. She said she was forced to crawl on the floor and follow orders, or risk physical and verbal punishment.

ABC6-TV said her father went to Woonsocket police for help and they used a warrant for Bianco on a previous charge as cause to take her out of the house.

Taylor's full report is here: