PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A Providence man has been sentenced in Kent County Superior Court to serve 12 years at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) for a 2021 Warwick sexual assault of a woman.
Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced the sentencing today, which occurred Oct. 20, 2023. Superior Court Justice Luis M. Matos. sentenced Francisco Vasquez, 38, to 25 years, with 12 years to serve at the ACI, and a 13-year suspended sentence with 25 years of probation. On July 13, 2023, a jury found Vasquez guilty of one count of first-degree sexual assault.
During the trial, the state proved beyond a reasonable doubt that on March 6, 2021, the defendant, along with a co-defendant, sexually assaulted a female victim at a motel in Warwick.
“I am grateful that this victim was heard, and justice was served,” said Neronha. “When we hold accountable perpetrators of sexual assault, we send a clear message that these crimes will never be tolerated. Simultaneously, I hope these convictions provide avenues for victims to come forward and feel supported in doing so. Thank you to the Warwick Police Department for their exceptional work and partnership in this case and many others.”
That night, Vasquez invited a friend, the victim, to a house party in Providence. Following the party, the victim’s next memory was waking up in an unknown-to-her location while being sexually assaulted. Later that day, the victim reported the sexual assault to Women and Infant’s Hospital.
An investigation by Warwick Police matched DNA results from the victim’s sexual assault exam with the defendant. The defendant was subsequently arrested by the Warwick Police Department.
“Sexual assault will never be tolerated in our community, and I’m grateful that justice was served in this case,” said Warwick Police Chief Col. Bradford E. Connor. “I commend the victim for her bravery in coming forward, and I thank Detective McGaffigan and our partners at the RI Attorney General’s Office for their investigation and prosecutorial work.”
Assistant Attorney General Alison DeCosta of the Office of the Attorney General and Detective Patrick McGaffigan of the Warwick Police Department led the investigation and prosecution of the case.
Author: Rob Borkowski
Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at [email protected] with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.
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