Marblehead school janitor charged with child rape

MARBLEHEAD – A public elementary school janitor was arrested Monday on child rape charges and is currently being held without bail until a Feb. 17 court dangerousness hearing, authorities said.Richard Jones, 40, of 29 Auburndale Road, Marblehead, was arrested and charged with two counts of rape of a child with force, assault with intent to rape and indecent assault and battery on a child under 14.Jones is a custodian at the Coffin School in Marblehead, according to Lynn District Court documents.According to a published report, Jones worked second shift and rarely worked in the presence of children. He has reportedly been placed on administrative leave from his job.Jones has reportedly been employed by the school department for the past six years and spent his first five as a janitor at Marblehead High School.Jones was arrested about 24 hours after a teenage girl went to Revere police reporting Jones raped and molested her and another girl on separate occasions in 2001, 2002 and 2007.Revere police immediately contacted Marblehead police who brought in crisis workers to interview the alleged victims.According to court documents, the alleged assaults occurred when one of the girls was in the fifth grade.Both girls apparently kept the abuse a secret but recently learned each other had been abused, authorities said.Court documents indicate Jones did not meet the victims through his janitor job.Jones was arraigned Monday in district court where Judge Stacey Fortes-White ordered him held without bail.