Illegal immigrant in Massachusetts indicted for repeated rape of child under 10

Flint McColgan, Boston Herald on Jan 9, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

BOSTON — An illegal immigrant with a criminal record living in Lowell is in jail on $1 million bail after being charged with raping a girl in Massachusetts beginning when she was 5 years old.

Maynor Francisco Hernandez-Rodas, 38, a citizen of Guatemala, according to the Suffolk District Attorney’s office, faces four counts of aggravated rape of a child, three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 and a count of enticing a child under 16.

Hernandez-Rodas’ alleged victim came forward at 10 years old in May of last year to say that he had raped her repeatedly beginning five years before first in Chelsea and then continuing in Lowell and Lynn.

The Suffolk DA’s office is prosecuting the case because Chelsea is a part of Suffolk County. A Suffolk grand jury indicted Hernandez-Rodas on Dec. 11.

At Hernandez-Rodas’ arraignment on Wednesday, Suffolk Superior Court Clerk Magistrate Edward Curley set bail at $1 million and scheduled a next date of March 5 for a pretrial hearing.

Agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Administration’s Enforcement and Removal Operations field office in Boston arrested Hernandez-Rodas on Sept. 20 in Lowell, according to the office.

“Maynor Francisco Hernandez-Rodas stands accused of horrific crimes against a Massachusetts child,” said acting field office director Patricia Hyde. “He represents a significant danger to the children of our community that we will not tolerate. ERO Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing egregious noncitizen threats from our New England neighborhoods.”

Since illegally entering the country at an unknown date in an unknown location, according to ICE, Hernandez-Rodas has been arrested several times in New England.

The field office says that he was convicted in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on Sept. 16, 2011, for “breach of the peace,” for which he got six months in prison. He was convicted again in Connecticut, this time in Norwalk, for the same offense in May 15, 2016, this time receiving a fine of $100.

Finally, Lowell Police arrested him on June 14, 2024, for aggravated rape of a child and rape of a child with force.

The Suffolk DA’s office recommends that survivors of child abuse and exploitation “and their non-offending caretakers” access services provided by the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County.