Chelsea School Committee Member Arraigned on Child Rape Charges
CHELSEA, August 10, 2021 — An elected member of the Chelsea School Committee was arraigned today on charges of child rape and enticement of a child, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins said.
HENRY WILSON, 56, of Chelsea, was arraigned this morning in Chelsea District Court on charges of rape of a child aggravated by an age difference of at least 10 years and enticement of a child. The child victim in this case is 12 years old. At the request of Assistant District Attorney Meghan Joyce of District Attorney Rollins’ Child Protection Unit, Judge Matthew Machera imposed bail of $50,000. Judge Machera additionally ordered Mr. Wilson to stay away from and have no contact with the victim and the victim’s family, stay away from the victim’s home, have no unsupervised contact with children under 18, hold no employment or volunteer work serving children, remain in Massachusetts, be subject to GPS monitoring, and surrender his passport.
Suffolk prosecutors were precluded from moving for Mr. Wilson’s detention, based on dangerousness, under MGL 276 Section 58a because the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that statutory rape, even when aggravated by age, does not involve the predicate level of force or threat of force necessary to qualify under the dangerousness statute. But for this legal preclusion, our office would have moved under Section 58a to have Mr. Wilson detained.
During a forensic interview at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County, the victim disclosed that, on June 28, 2021, he was walking in the area of Broadway in Chelsea when an adult male offered him a ride in his car. The man drove him to a parking lot and sexually assaulted the child in the car. Parts of the sexual assault were captured on cell phone camera.
On July 2, 2021, when members of the victim’s family became aware of the sexual assault, they went to the Chelsea Police Department and reported the child rape. The alleged perpetrator was identified as Mr. Wilson, prosecutors said.
At the request of detectives, Mr. Wilson appeared at the Chelsea Police Department yesterday and agreed to speak with detectives. At the conclusion of a post-Miranda interview, he was placed in custody.
“This man ran for office and is a member of the Chelsea School Committee. He was in a position of power and routinely sought out opportunities to surround himself with children. Now, he stands accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old child that is over four decades younger than him. My staff and I have been in contact with our law enforcement and community partners including the Chelsea Police Department and Chelsea Public Schools to ensure that services and resources are available to this child victim and his family,” District Attorney Rollins said. “This little boy did nothing wrong. He is 12 years old and should be enjoying the end of summer before getting ready to return to school. Instead he is dealing with this. It is heartbreaking,” said DA Rollins. “We remain available to survivors of abuse and assault in Chelsea and across Suffolk County. The decision to disclose child sexual assault is often a difficult one for survivors of any age. Survivors who come forward in Suffolk County will be met by a multidisciplinary team of experienced, compassionate and culturally-competent professionals who will provide survivors and their loved ones with service and resources as they take steps forward on their journey toward healing.”
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.
Jacqueline Ramirez is the assigned victim witness advocate. Mr. Wilson is represented by attorney Anthony Fugate. He returns to court September 9, 2021.
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins’ 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.