Man Arraigned in Connection with Alleged Sexual Assault Involving Minor in Concord

CONCORD – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Concord Chief of Police Joseph F. O'Connor have confirmed that Rocco Pelopida, 41, of East Greenwich, RI, was arraigned today on charges of aggravated statutory rape of a child, enticement of a child under the age of 16, paying for sexual conduct with a child under 18 and inducing a child to become a prostitute in connection with allegations that he engaged in a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old female that he met online.

On Wednesday, May 22 at approximately 3:10 a.m., Concord Police responded to a report in the area of Saw Mill Road of an older man attempting to leave with a 15-year-old female. The reporting party, the victim’s parents, reported that they heard their daughter leave the house and subsequently tracked her location and called 911. Upon arrival, police allegedly located Pelopida inside his vehicle with the victim.  The preliminary investigation suggests that the victim and the defendant met on a website, Casual Encounters, and subsequently began corresponding over Snapchat.  Using Snapchat, the defendant and the victim allegedly arraigned to meet up.  During their meeting the defendant allegedly offered the victim money to perform sexual acts and engaged in illegal sexual contact with the minor.

Pelopida was arraigned today in Concord District Court. Judge Lynn Brendemuehl set bail at $25,000 and ordered the defendant to stay away from and have no contact with the victim and her family, to have no unsupervised contact with children under 18, and to surrender his passport if he posts bail. The next date in this case is June 17, 2019. The Assistant District Attorney assigned to today’s arraignment was Timothy Federico.

These charges are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

This is an ongoing investigation being conducted by Concord Police and the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office.