Convicted Rapist Pleads Guilty To Rape, Kidnapping, Robbery Charges

A convicted rapist pleaded guilty today for a brutal rape of a female victim in her own home in Framingham, according to the Middlesex District Attorney Office.

William French, 31, of Framingham, pleaded guilty in Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn to charges of aggravated rape subsequent offense, unarmed burglary and assault, kidnapping, unarmed robbery, intimidate to steal from depository, assault and battery and malicious destruction of property over $250.  

Middlesex Superior Court Judge Diane Kottmyer sentenced French to 25 to 30 years in state prison, from and after his current sentence in Worcester County.  The defendant was also sentenced to 10 years probation from and after his incarceration with conditions of release that he have no contact with victim or witnesses, that he undergo mental health treatment, drug treatment and sex offender treatment, that he not take drugs and submit to random screenings and that he seeks and maintains fulltime employment.

“This defendant, a repeat, violent offender, attacked and sexually assaulted the victim inside her own home, holding her against her will, and shattering her sense of safety,” Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone said in a press release.  “The defendant’s attack on the victim, who was a stranger to him, took place just days after the defendant was released from prison and placed on probation. With his admission of guilt today, this defendant will now be sentenced to 25 to 30 years in prison where he will be off our streets and unable to hurt another victim.”

On the evening of Feb. 18, 2010, while on probation with GPS monitoring, the defendant attacked the victim outside her home as she went to get her mail from her mail box, according to authorities.

He forced her inside her home, where he sexually assaulted her. He then forced the victim to drive him to an ATM to take out money from her bank account and, on the way back to the victim’ home, he cut off his GPS bracelet, throwing it out the window. Once back at the victim’s home, the defendant sexually assaulted her again, authorities said.

At about 11:25 p.m., probation officials received an alert that the defendant’s GPS monitoring bracelet had been removed.  At 11:45 p.m., received a warrant for French’s arrest from the Middlesex Superior Court Probation Department.

The defendant was arrested shortly after 2:15 a.m. on Feb. 19, 2010, inside the victim’s home after the victim was able to briefly get away from the defendant and scream to neighbors for help.  The victim was transported to an area hospital, treated and released, authorities said.

The defendant was released from state prison in Dec. 2009 after serving 8 years for a 2001 aggravated rape conviction out of Middlesex Superior Court. 

French had just begun to serve a 6-year term of probation after his release from state prison, and he was currently on probation at the time of these assaults.  The defendant was placed on GPS monitoring by the Probation Department on Feb. 16, after he failed a random drug screen.

The defendant was arraigned on Feb. 19, 2010 before Framingham District Court Judge Sarah Singer on charges of aggravated rape (two counts), kidnapping, assault and battery, unarmed robbery, threats to commit a crime, kidnapping, and for removing the GPS monitoring unit. He has been held on $250,000 bail since his arraignment. The defendant was indicted by a Middlesex County grand jury on March 30, 2010 and arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn on June 8, 2010 where Court Clerk Magistrate Michael Sullivan ordered him held on $250,000 cash bail.

The case was investigated by and the . The Assistant District Attorney assigned to the case is Heidi Gosule.  The Victim Witness Advocate is Kristen Dagnelli.