Adams Man Sentenced to State, Federal Prison for Child Rape
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| Brian Warner |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — An Adams man pleaded guilty on Friday in Berkshire Superior Court to multiple counts of aggravated rape of a child and aggravated indecent assault and battery on a child under 14.
Brian Warner, 39, was sentenced by Judge Michael K. Callan to 25 to 28 years in state prison.
The defendant pleaded guilty to the following:
- Two counts of rape of a child with force
- One count of aggravated rape of a child
- Two counts of rape of a child, aggravated, five-year age difference
- Four counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14
- Fourteen counts of aggravated indecent assault and battery on a child under 14
- Nine counts of posing a child in the nude
- Two counts of possession of child sexual abuse material
Callan attributed the lengthy sentencing to the egregious nature of the defendant's crime. In his sentencing memo, the judge wrote, "In fashioning this sentence I have also considered the Sentencing Guidelines, which were established by a Sentencing Commission created by our Legislature and consisting of prosecutors, defense counsel, public safety and correctional officials, and victim-witness advocates.
"While not mandatory, these guidelines were designed, among other goals, to promote consistency in the sentencing process in our judicial system. The guidelines utterly fail in some circumstances and this is one of them."
Warner produced child sexual abuse material, otherwise known as child pornography. In doing this, the defendant raped and assaulted a child over a period of two years. Law enforcement uncovered hundreds of images produced by Warner.
"Justice was served today, but Warner's crimes are deeply disturbing. When a child in our community is harmed, it naturally causes us to reflect on how we can do more to protect our children. To the survivor and their [singular] family, this outcome cannot undo the trauma you endured; however, I hope it offers some comfort in knowing that your abuser has been held accountable under the law," stated District Attorney Timothy Shugrue.
Chief of the Child Abuse Unit Andrew Giarolo, an assistant district attorney, represented the commonwealth and Ian Benoit the victim witness advocate on behalf of the DA's Office. The Adams Police Department led the investigation with support from the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit's digital evidence lab.
"I commend the Adams Police Department, the State Police, and the Child Abuse Unit staff, Chief Giarolo and victim advocate Ian Benoit. Investigating and prosecuting these cases are extraordinarily difficult," said Shugrue. "Thank you for your commitment to helping protect children and working to bring justice on their behalf."
This past March, a federal judge sentenced Warner to 28 years in federal prison for three counts of sexual exploitation of a child. The defendant will serve his federal sentence and state sentence concurrently. He will be placed in federal prison first. Upon his release from federal prison, he will serve any remaining time on the commonwealth's sentence in state prison.
Tags: child abuse, sex abuse,
