Man facing charges in 2010 New Bedford rape held without bail

Bristol County District Attorney's Office finds backlog of over 1,000 untested rape kits

NEW BEDOFRD, Mass. (WLNE) — A man who was arrested after Bristol County’s push to test more rape kits appeared in court on Tuesday.

Scot Trudeau, 47, was indicted on charges of aggravated rape and assault in battery in connection with a 2010 rape in New Bedford.

Trudeau was held without bail, and will remain behind bars until the next hearing.

The Bristol County District Attorney’s Office said the case was the first indictment secured using an “untested rape kit initiative.”

District Attorney Thomas Quinn said the rape kit was not fully tested in 2010.

“It’s unacceptable that these sexual assault kits were not fully tested. Victims are submitting themselves to a very personal and degrading process to hopefully obtain evidence for a crime,” said Quinn.

The statue of limitations on this rape case would have expired in 2025.