A former Chelsea resident serving jail time for molesting young relatives now faces potential lifetime commitment at a secure facility under the state’s Sexually Dangerous Person laws, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

Assistant District Attorney Mindy Klenoff of Conley’s Sexual Assault Unit convinced Suffolk Superior Court Judge Mitchell Kaplan that JUSTO ESTERAZ (D.O.B. 11/10/38) is “likely to engage in further sexual offenses if not confined to a secure facility” and thus sexually dangerous under Massachusetts law. Kaplan’s findings came after four days of testimony from eight witnesses, including three victims and four psychologists.

Kaplan yesterday ordered Esteraz committed to the Massachusetts Treatment Center at Bridgewater State Hospital for a period of one day to life.

In proving the defendant sexually dangerous beyond a reasonable doubt, Klenoff demonstrated that Esteraz was convicted in Suffolk Superior Court two years ago of four counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14. Those cases arose out of sexual assaults on young female relatives while he was living in Chelsea. Prior to Esteraz’ release from prison on those charges, Klenoff began proceedings to have him civilly committed under Ch. 123A, Sect. 14, of the Massachusetts General Laws – a statute that allows for possible lifetime detention in a secure facility.

Klenoff also demonstrated that Esteraz is a pedophile with a history of sex offenses against children in the U.S. and his native Puerto Rico dating back to the 1980s, and that he is likely to offend again sexually.

“The court finds that it is reasonably likely that Esteraz would develop relationships with others, either in the Commonwealth or in Puerto Rico, that would give him access to a potential victim pool,” Kaplan wrote in his decision yesterday. “The court therefore also finds that the Commonwealth has proved … that Esteraz is likely to engage in further sexual offenses if not confined to a secure facility.”

Conley noted that Esteraz’ victims were children as young as 4 years old.

“We owe it to this man’s victims to do everything we can to protect other children from the threat he poses,” Conley said.

Annabelle Guerra was the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate. Esteraz was represented by attorney Michael Phelan.