Johnston man sentenced on child molestation charges

JOHNSTON, R.I. (WLNE)- A Johnston man charged with sexually assaulting a teenage boy has been sentenced to serve nine years in state prison, according to Attorney General Peter Neronha.

Anthony Cerbo, 43, allegedly assaulted the minor who was under the age of 14 at his Johnston home in 2018.

Cerbo entered a plea of nolo contendere to one count of first-degree child molestation and one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree child molestation.

On February 11, Cerbo was sentenced to 30 years, with nine to serve and the balance of his sentence suspended with probation after being held without bail since 2018.

Cerbo is required have no contact with the victim, register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, attend sex offender counseling, and is subject to community supervision requirements.

“Here, the defendant, with the help of a co-defendant, came up with a scheme to use social digital media to identify a vulnerable child, and once identified, execute that scheme and prey on that child,” says AG Neronha.

Cerbo connected with the victim on Grinder, an online dating app. He exchanged messages with the victim, in which the minor communicated he was 14-years-old.

Cerbo arranged for a co-defendant, Matthew Heuser of East Greenwich, to pick up the minor and drive him to the home.

It is alleged that Heuser also sexually assaulted the victim at the time.

Heuser is facing multiple felony charges, including second-degree child molestation and conspiracy to commit first-degree child molestation. The prosecution of Heuser is pending in Providence County Superior Court.

“Sexual assaults against children remain an ongoing, devastating problem in Rhode Island – we have charged over 400 such cases over the last five years alone,” said Attorney General Neronha.