Man sentenced for rape of woman with intellectual disability in Fall River

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WLNE) — A 54-year-old man was sentenced for rape and an indecent assault and battery on a person with an intellectual disability, according to Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn, III.

54-year-old Fernando Rodriguez, of Puerto Rico, was sentenced to six to nine years in State Prison followed by three years of supervised probation.

According to Quinn, Rodriguez physically and sexually abused the victim’s mother and her four children when the family was living in Puerto Rico.

In March of 2014, the victim and her family, along with Rodriguez, moved to Somerset, Mass.

In October 2014 they then moved to Fall River, Mass. 

On or about July 9, 2015, the victim’s mother and siblings left the home to go grocery shopping, while the victim remained at the residence since “walking long distances was difficult for her.”

According to Quinn, the victim, who was was 20 years old at the time, suffered from physical and cognitive disabilities.

When the family left, Rodriguez entered the victim’s bedroom and “demanded she disrobe.”

According to Quinn, the defendant then raped and indecently assaulted the victim.

Later that night, the victim’s mother was assaulted and the police were called.

The next day, the family went to court to request a restraining order against Rodriguez.

According to Quinn, Rodriguez appeared in court for the hearing and then fled the area.

He was eventually found in Washington, DC in 2023 and arrested.

Rodriguez was extradited back to Massachusetts.