BOSTON, June 14, 2016—A Dorchester Municipal Court probation officer faces arraignment tomorrow for allegedly assaulting a female probationer in his courthouse office, Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans and Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

The Suffolk County Grand Jury returned indictments charging WILLIAM AVERILL (D.O.B. 2/13/66) of West Roxbury with three counts each of rape and indecent assault and battery, as well as one count of assault with intent to rape.  Averill has been on administrative leave from his professional duties since the investigation began earlier this year.

According to prosecutors, Averill was assigned to supervise the victim, a woman in her 20s, while she was serving a one-year probation sentence on convictions for larceny and receiving stolen property.  On Jan. 5, the victim reported to probation as required.  Averill allegedly led her into his office, where he began to touch and kiss her.  She told him to stop and he did.  However, later in the meeting, Averill allegedly closed the blinds in his office and sexually assaulted the victim.

After leaving the courthouse, the victim called a relative and disclosed the assault, leading to an investigation by the Sexual Assault Units of the Suffolk DA’s office and Boston Police Department.

Criminalists in the Boston Police Crime Lab were able to develop a DNA profile from evidence collected during that investigation.  Further testing by Massachusetts State Police criminalists showed that the profile matched a DNA sample provided by Averill – and excluded 99.92 percent of the male population as possible contributors.

The indictments are based on the results of that testing and additional evidence developed by Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Riley during the grand jury investigation and Boston Police sexual assault detectives through interviews and other techniques.

Anne Kelley-McCarthy is the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate.  Averill is represented by attorney Bill Galvin.

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