A New Jersey man has been sentenced to prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting his 14-year-old relative in Massachusetts, according to the Cape and Islands District Attorney.
Prosecutors said Cheldon Clare, 46, drove about 260 miles from his home in New Jersey to Hyannis, Massachusetts, in August 2021. He then assaulted his family member in his car. Authorities reported that Clare had been grooming the teenager for a month before the incident.
During the investigation, detectives found Clare’s DNA on the victim’s pants. After a six-day trial and more than two hours of jury deliberation, Clare was found guilty of aggravated rape of a child and indecent assault and battery on a person aged 14 or over.
“He was sentenced to 12 to 14 years in prison, five years of probation and must register as a sex offender,” officials said.
Hyannis is located about 70 miles southeast of Boston.
