PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Eight men are set to appear in court Wednesday on charges related to the sexual assault of an unconscious 16-year-old girl in Providence in December 2019.
Providence Police Col. Hugh Clements says the girl was lured to a Glenham Street home and plied with alcohol and marijuana shortly before the eight men forced themselves on her. He said a video of the assault was posted to Facebook.
When Providence Police announced the initial charges back in September, Chief Hugh Clements called it a “despicable, degrading and reprehensible sexual assault crime.”
The suspects were indicted earlier this month on the following charges:
- Antonio Roberto Leiva, 20, of Providence: first-degree sexual assault, assault with intent to commit sexual assault, conspiracy to commit sexual assault, failure to report a sexual assault.
- Richard Chester, 20, of Seekonk, Mass.: first-degree sexual assault, conspiracy to commit sexual assault, failure to report a sexual assault.
- Malcolm Baptista, 19, of Providence: first-degree sexual assault, assault with intent to commit sexual assault, conspiracy to commit sexual assault, possession of child pornography, obstruction of the judicial system, failure to report a sexual assault.
- Carlos Chacon, 20, of Providence: first-degree sexual assault, conspiracy to commit sexual assault, possession of child pornography, failure to report a sexual assault.
- Jose Vargas, 19, of Providence: second-degree sexual assault, assault with intent to commit sexual assault, conspiracy to commit sexual assault, failure to report a sexual assault.
- Carlos Vasquez, 19, of Providence: conspiracy to commit sexual assault and failure to report a sexual assault.
Luis Luna, 20, and Erving Colon, 25, both of Providence, face a sole charge of failure to report a sexual assault.
A pre-trial conference is scheduled for February 17, 2021.
