BOSTON, October 21, 2016— An East Boston man was sentenced to a lengthy prison term this week after a jury convicted him last month of sexually assaulting children, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

A Suffolk Superior Court jury on Sept. 21 convicted OSCAR FLORES (D.O.B. 1/21/59) of three counts of rape of a child and six counts of indecent assault and battery of a child under 14 for assaults against two victims who are now adults; jurors acquitted him of an additional count of indecent assault and battery of a child under 14 and attempt to commit a crime against a third child.  At his sentencing yesterday, Assistant District Attorney Sarah McEvoy of the DA’s Child Protection Unit had recommended a sentence of 20 to 30 years in state prison. Judge Robert Gordon imposed a term of 12 to 16 years in state prison to be followed by five years of probation. 

McEvoy presented evidence and testimony at trial to prove that Flores was known to the two victims as an acquaintance of their families and used his position of trust to spend time alone with each victim at his home, where the assaults occurred between 2001 and 2007.

As adults, the victims in 2013 disclosed the abuse to a family member who contacted Boston Police.  Both victims took part in forensic interviews and disclosed multiple assaults by Flores.

“Disclosing abuse can be the most difficult thing a person ever does, and even more so for a child,” Conley said.  “It can take years for victims to find the strength to speak about what has happened.  And when they’re ready, Suffolk prosecutors and advocates are here to help.”

Before Flores’ sentence was imposed, the victims delivered impact statements to the court describing how the years of abuse by Flores impacted their lives and thanking members of Conley’s office for their support and advocacy.

“I realized that I no longer had to live my life in silence, and as a victim.  I learned that I had a responsibility to defend myself, and that responsibility was to come forward about something that had been troubling me for almost 10 years,” one victim wrote in a statement that was read in court.  “The older I became, the easier it was for me to process, and to understand what had happened to me.  I tried for so long to ignore and hide something that was hurting me so deep inside, but as an adult, it became clear that keeping this quiet was not going to help me, or anyone else that might be put in this situation in the future.”

Sexual assault can happen to anyone.  While the victims of any crime are asked to call 911 in an emergency, survivors of sexual violence can also call their local rape crisis center for free and confidential services and to discuss their options.  Support is available for all survivors of sexual violence, regardless of whether they wish to take part in a criminal prosecution. Services by city and town can be found at www.janedoe.org/find_help/search.

In Suffolk County, the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center offers a free and confidential 24-hour hotline at 800-841-8371. The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center provides medical accompaniment and many other free services to victims of rape and sexual assault.  Suffolk victim-witness advocates can assist in referrals to BARCC and a wide array of non-profit service providers who can offer additional support and services.

Catherine McGuane was the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate.  Flores was represented by Roger Witkin.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.