South Boston Man Arraigned in Bank Robbery, Child Rape Cases
BOSTON, March 10, 2022— A man already serving an incarcerated sentence was arraigned this week on warrants charging armed robbery and child rape, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin R. Hayden said.
VICENTE LOMBA, 30, of South Boston, was arraigned on two outstanding warrants Tuesday in the South Boston Division of Boston Municipal Court. The first warrant charges armed robbery stemming from the knife-point robbery of a bank in October 202. The second warrant charges two counts of aggravated rape of a child, two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child and one count of dissemination of material harmful to a minor. Prosecutors requested a combined bail of $13,000 and orders that he stay away from the location of the bank robbery, stay away from and have no contact with the child rape victim and have no contact with any child under age 16 in the event he is to be released on bail while the cases are pending. Judge Pamela M. Dashiell imposed $12,000 bail and the requested conditions of release.
Lomba is currently serving a term of one year in the house of correction for malicious destruction of property over $1,200. That sentence was imposed March 2, 2022, by a judge in the Central Division of Boston Municipal Court.
“I’m grateful to the investigative teams who worked on both cases against this individual. The effective handling of each of these cases requires an interagency response to achieve accountability on behalf of victims and to protect the community,” DA Hayden said. “I want to thank each of these team members – from the local, state and federal law enforcement assigned to the Bank Robbery Task Force, to the multidisciplinary team of professionals at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County who continue to serve the young survivor of sexual abuse, to my talented team of prosecutors, victim witness advocates, investigators and support staff. Most of all, though, I want to commend the victims of this man’s crimes for the bravery and resilience shown since the moment these investigations began.”
Lomba is accused of menacing the teller of a Southampton Street bank and demanding money on October, 26, 2021. He allegedly stole approximately $1,030 and fled before Boston Police arrived. Security cameras from the bank captured clear images that were shared with law enforcement and the public. As a result, the individual in the images was identified as Lomba by an FBI special agent and a Boston Police officer who each had prior interactions with Lomba as well as members of the public.
As the investigation into the bank robbery was ongoing, a separate investigation began into allegations that Lomba repeatedly sexually assaulted a young child who was known to him. The victim participated in a forensic interview in which several incidents of rape and abuse were disclosed. He is additionally accused of showing pornographic materials to the child. The assaults occurred between 2015 and 2019 at a residence in South Boston.
While the victims and witnesses of any crime should call 911 in an emergency, there are additional resources available to report suspected crimes against children. In Suffolk County, survivors of child abuse and exploitation and their non-offending caretakers can receive comprehensive services at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County. The CAC can be reached at 617-779-2146. Survivors may also contact the Child Protection Unit at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office at 617-619-4300. Anyone who believes that a child in Massachusetts may be the victim of abuse can call the Department of Children and Families’ Child at Risk Hotline at 1-800-792-5200. Those concerned that a child is being exploited online may report a Cybertip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST or www.cybertipline.com.
Lomba returns to court April 5, 2022.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.