LYNN — A judge ordered a homeless man from Revere held without bail Thursday after a prosecutor said the man participated in a gang rape at a Lynn home last February.
“The victim told police things progressed to where there were three individuals who were taking turns raping her while one took turns holding her (friend) down,” Assistant District Attorney Katelyn Giliberti said in Lynn District Court Thursday afternoon.
But the man’s attorney questioned the “lengthy investigation” by police and said the only thing tying his client to the alleged crime was a short and non-specific statement the alleged victim made to police.
“It says the rape occurred in a dark room while another man, allegedly my client, held her shoulders,” public defender Benjamin Richards said. “Then the report said ‘the same thing happened’ with (the defendant and another suspect). He absolutely denies it.”
Emanuel Paulo, homeless but from Revere, was arrested after turning himself in on a warrant for rape at 10:15 a.m. Thursday.
Giliberti told the court the alleged incident occurred Feb. 5, 2011 after the alleged victim and a friend met three men while out at night and then they all went together to a Lynn home.
Giliberti said the women told police they had a couple of drinks and smoked marijuana at the home. The women told police that the three men then took turns raping one of the women and holding the other woman down so she could not interfere, Giliberti said. She said a cab driver who later picked the women up from the home noted both were crying and appeared upset. The friend identified Paulo to police as being one of the men who raped the victim, Giliberti said.
She requested Paulo be held pending a dangerousness hearing.
But Richards said police reports show the investigation began that February but a warrant for Paulo’s arrest was not issued until this December.
“It is unclear what happened to make there be such a delay,” he said.
He said Paulo was “aware consensual sexual activity” occurred that night but denied any rape occurred.
Judge Albert Conlon ordered Paulo held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for Jan. 16.
Cyrus Moulton can be reached at [email protected].
