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U.S. couple found guilty of Kazakh children sexual assault

Kazakhstan Materials 9 August 2013 10:15 (UTC +04:00)
Joseph and Linda Mayotte of Northbridge were convicted Thursday of multiple counts of child sexual assault involving two children who were previously in their care
U.S. couple found guilty of Kazakh children sexual assault

Joseph and Linda Mayotte of Northbridge were convicted Thursday of multiple counts of child sexual assault involving two children from Kazakhstan who were previously in their care, Worcester telegram & gazette reported.

A Worcester Superior Court jury found 50-year-old Joseph Mayotte guilty of child rape aggravated by age difference, two counts of child rape, three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child, assault with intent to rape, dissemination of matter harmful to minors, a morals offense, reckless endangerment of a child, and improper storage of a firearm.

The charges stemmed from allegations that he sexually abused a girl over a span of nearly five years beginning in 2004, when she was 8 years old. The firearm charge involved an unsecured weapon that was discovered by police at the time of his wife's arrest in 2009.

Linda Mayotte, 49, was found guilty in absentia of three counts of child rape, five counts of indecent assault and battery on a child, five counts of indecent assault and battery, a morals offense, reckless endangerment of a child, intimidation of a witness, resisting arrest and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Sources said Mrs. Mayotte, who was not in court Thursday, was hospitalized after an apparent suicide attempt. Judge Richard T. Tucker revoked Mrs. Mayotte's bail, which means she will be taken into custody upon release from the hospital.

The charges for which Mrs. Mayotte was convicted involved a two-year sexual relationship with a boy in the couple's care beginning when he was 13 and ending in 2007, when she became pregnant with the teen's child.

The jury of seven women and five men found Mr. Mayotte not guilty on charges of intimidation of a witness, five counts of indecent assault and battery on a child, three counts of child rape and five counts of indecent assault and battery.

The jury acquitted Mrs. Mayotte on charges of child rape aggravated by age difference, two counts of child rape, three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child and assault with intent to rape.

The sexual assault charges against each defendant that resulted in not-guilty verdicts involved allegations that the husband and wife acted as joint venturers with each other

Judge Richard T. Tucker scheduled sentencing for Aug. 22.

He revoked Mr. Mayotte's $25,000 cash bail after the verdicts were returned and ordered that he remain in custody without bail until the time of sentencing.

The sexual assaults for which the Mayottes were convicted occurred in the couple's home at 67 Laura Lane in the Whitinsville section of Northbridge.

The two victims were in the courtroom when the verdicts were returned. Mr. Mayotte's victim. now 17, wept as the verdicts were announced. She and Mrs. Mayotte's victim, now 21, later hugged Assistant District Attorney Cheryl R. Riddle, who prosecuted the case.

The victims declined to comment on the verdicts.

Mrs. Mayotte testified during the trial that she was raped by her alleged victim. Her husband testified that the sexual assaults he was alleged to have committed never occurred.

"Justice has been served," District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. said of the verdicts.

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