Former Worcester Church Activity Director Guilty of Child Rape

By Gary V. Murray
TELEGRAM & GAZETTE
June 21, 2012

http://www.telegram.com/article/20120621/NEWS/106219832/1116/raw_headlines

A former director of family activities at a local church was sentenced to 25 to 30 years in state prison yesterday after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting seven children from 5 to 10 years old.

Samuel Molina, 33, formerly of 2 Freeland St., got to know many of his victims and their families while doing volunteer work as director of family activities at the Iglesia Cristiana Bet-El church at 3 Wiser Ave., according to Assistant District Attorney Cheryl R. Riddle.

After becoming a trusted member of the church community, Mr. Molina sexually assaulted seven children — four boys and three girls — from 2009 through July of last year, the prosecutor said during a plea hearing in Worcester Superior Court.

Ms. Riddle said the sexual assaults occurred at the homes of Mr. Molina and the victims and, on one occasion, in a closet at the church. When asked by police how he was sometimes able to sexually assault children in their own homes with their parents or other family members present, according to Ms. Riddle Mr. Molina responded: “They had a lot of faith in me. They trusted me.”

Mr. Molina was sentenced by Judge John S. McCann to seven concurrent prison terms of 25 to 30 years after pleading guilty to seven counts of child rape aggravated by age difference, a crime carrying a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. Mr. Molina also pleaded guilty to nine counts of indecent assault and battery on a child and was sentenced to nine terms of 9 to 10 years, to be served concurrently with one another and with the sentences imposed on the child rape charges.

The sentences imposed by Judge McCann were recommended by Ms. Riddle, who said a prison term of 25 to 30 years was warranted because of the “egregious nature” of the crimes, the vulnerability of the young victims and the fact that Mr. Molina violated the trust placed in him by parishioners of the church.

Some of the sexual assaults occurred while the victims were sleeping over at Mr. Molina’s house, according to Mr. Riddle.

“I just want him to not be out on the street,” the father of one victim said through a Spanish-speaking interpreter, in an impact statement given in court.

“All we’re asking for is that this person be behind bars as long as possible,” the father said.

“Please do the right thing for our families and for every other child that’s out there,” the mother of another victim said to Judge McCann.

Mr. Molina’s lawyer, Tom G. Vukmirovits, recommended a sentence of 12 to 15 years with 10 years of probation to begin upon Mr. Molina’s release.

Mr. Vukmirovits said Mr. Molina was born in El Salvador, has a fourth-grade education, is the son of a minister and had no criminal history before coming to the United States several years ago.

Mr. Vukmirovits told the court that Mr. Molina had a girlfriend during the time frame in which he was molesting the children, but related to him that his religious upbringing led him to believe it would have been sinful if he and his girlfriend had engaged in sexual relations out of wedlock.