Serial sex offender swears at judge, attacks court officers while being sentenced to decades in prison

BOSTON, November 26, 2024 – Suffolk County Judge Katie Rayburn today sentenced RONALD BROWN, 60, to 72 to 105 years in prison for a series of home break-ins and sexual assaults during September and October 2016 in the South End neighborhood of Boston, District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.

A jury Friday convicted Brown of 21 charges, including aggravated rape, kidnapping, witness intimidation, photographing an unsuspecting nude person, and breaking and entering.

Brown has been held without bail since his October 2016 arrest. Brown refused to attend his trial and instead watched by Zoom. He logged off halfway through the reading of the verdicts Friday.

Brown was present in court this morning for sentencing and refused to stand when the judge imposed her sentence. Brown yelled an expletive at the judge and attacked the court officers who tried to bring him out of the courtroom.

Brown committed the 2016 crimes only months after his release from a 25- to 30-year state prison sentence for a similar rape in 1986. That sentence also included crimes Brown committed while in custody, including assaulting a correctional officer and rushing the jury box during the trial.

On the night of September 22, 2016, Brown broke into a woman’s residence on Warren Avenue and stole shoes, handbags, a car key and other items.

On September 23, 2016, Brown staked out a basement apartment on Dwight Street by taking video of the front exterior. On September 27 and 28, Brown recorded a woman through her bedroom window as she came out of the shower and got dressed.

On the night of October 2, Brown broke into an apartment on Milford Street while the woman occupant slept and stole her clothes, purses, shoes, a computer, and cash.

On October 3, Brown broke into the Dwight Street apartment he had previously videotaped and took photos of personal documents belonging to the tenants.

On October 6 he broke into another apartment upstairs in the same Dwight Street building, stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of jewelry, shoes and handbags.

In the early morning of October 11, Brown broke into a basement apartment on Clarendon Street, where he blindfolded, bound and gagged the two female occupants, stole their electronic devices and other property and demanded the passwords to the devices.  He forcibly raped one woman, forced her to shower to wash away potential evidence, and told her he hated Chinese people, in reference to her heritage.  He touched the breasts of the other woman and threatened to kill both if they told anyone. 

A prescription pill bottle with Brown’s name was found on the bedroom floor of one victim. The other victim caught a glimpse of red camouflage clothing on the intruder.  

Using that information, Boston police detectives on October 12 went to the Pine Street Inn shelter, where Brown was staying. They arrested Brown after learning he had arrived there on October 11 wearing red camouflage shorts.  Brown’s backpack contained items stolen from the victims and from the other break-ins, as well as notes in his handwriting with personal information about the women he targeted.  Also in the backpack was the defendant’s own cellphone, which contained video of a woman in the nude as well as dozens of photos of shoes, handbags, and other personal items.  Some of those items were also identified as belonging to victims in the case.

All twelve members of the jury were present at today’s sentencing. The court heard victim impact statements via Zoom from four of Brown’s victims. Assistant District Attorney Erin Murphy read two other statements to the court.

One of Brown’s victims referred to his “menacing legacy.”

“We won’t feel truly safe again. No wrought iron bars, no upgraded ADP, no glancing into the window well each time I return home, none of it will replace the feeling of wellbeing that Ronald Brown took from me that night. This is his menacing legacy. Fear, suspicion and rage. He is a real and present danger to society. He has illustrated no success at rehabilitation. He has taken no accountability whatsoever and shown not a hint of remorse. He should under no circumstances be allowed the liberty to terrorize another human being, community or society ever again,” the victim said.

Hayden thanked the prosecution team, the Boston police detectives who worked on the case, the jurors and the victims.

“It is very rare that we have all members of the jury present for sentencing. I think the reason is clear—they were touched by the bravery of the victims and profoundly moved by what they endured at the hands of Ronald Brown. I commend the survivors for their resilience during this difficult, trying process, from their courage to come forward to their brave testimony at trial and their poignant statements today,” Hayden said.

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.

James Borghesani, Chief of Communications