New Bedford man convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WLNE) — A man has been convicted by a jury of repeatedly raping and molesting a 12-year-old girl, The Bristol District Attorney announced Wednesday.

Christopher Baez-Rivera, 29, was convicted only four hours after the jury deliberated, following a two-week long jury trial in the Fall River Superior Court.

The Bristol District Attorney said that the defendant’s mother had become the legal guardian of the victim when she was four years old. The crimes happened while the victim and her mother were living in the same home as Baez-Rivera in 2020 and 2021.

“The defendant took advantage of his relationship with and access to the victim.  She was only 12 years old when he repeatedly raped her. I commend the victim for coming forward and persevering through this very difficult ordeal. I hope she can move forward with her life,” District Attorney Quinn said.

Baez-Rivera was sentenced to 12 to 15 years in state prison, to be followed by five years of supervised probation.