Crime & Safety

Craig's List Rapist Found Guilty

Framingham man committed assaulted two prostitutes in Tewksbury hotel.

A Framingham man was found guilty on Monday of rape and robbery charges against three female victims he solicited from Craig’s List.

Two of the three attacks took place in Tewksbury.

In a press release, announced that Reinaldo Prado, 30, was found guilty today by a Superior Court jury on charges of aggravated rape, armed robbery (three counts), and intimidation of a witness (three counts). Middlesex Superior Court Judge Kathe Tuttman will sentence the defendant on Oct. 18, 2011. He was found not guilty of two of the three counts of aggravated rape and three counts of indecent assault and battery.

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“Reinaldo Prado has now been found guilty and will be held responsible for a series of brazen attacks on women he solicited on Craig’s List,” Leone said. “The defendant’s chilling actions occurred across the county and victimized three different people in a matter of two days.

"We commend the Burlington, Tewksbury, Cambridge and Framingham Police Departments on their coordination and collaboration which helped lead to a swift arrest of the defendant.  We commend the victims for coming forward to reveal this defendant’s violent and predatory actions, and the jury for their just verdict today.”

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According to authorities, within a two-day period between January 24 and January 25, 2009, the defendant committed a series of armed robberies in Burlington and Tewksbury, of prostitutes who posted their services on Craig’s List.

Prosecutors argued that on Jan. 24, 2009, Prado contacted the first victim on Craig’s List and arranged to meet with her at a hotel in Burlington.  Once the defendant arrived at the hotel room, he robbed the victim at gunpoint and raped her, said Leone. He then took her identification and told her he knew where she lived and that if she called the police, he would kill her.

On Jan. 25, prosecutors said, Prado contacted two additional women who had posted their services online and arranged to meet them at a hotel in Tewksbury.

Prosecutors said used the first victim’s cell phone to arrange the meeting. Upon arrival at the hotel, the Prado tied up the two victims with zip ties and robbed them while telling them he was going to kill them. In the commission of the robbery, the defendant stole the victims’ money, cellular phones, laptops and other personal items.  Additionally, the defendant took the victims’ passports and told them that he knew where they lived and would kill them if they called police.

After a thorough investigation, authorities executed a search warrant on the Prado’s vehicle and home and arrested him on Jan. 30, 2009.  During the search, police recovered cell phones, knives, zip ties and paperwork with the victim’s contact information in the defendant’s truck.  Inside the Prado’s home, inestigators located the victims’ computers, cell phones and the victims’ passports, said Leone.

Prado was arraigned in Framingham District Court on Feb. 2, 2009 where he was ordered held pending a dangerousness hearing.  He was indicted by a Middlesex grand jury on March 31, 2009.


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