New Bedford man sentenced for molesting 2 young girls ‘several thousand times’

A New Bedford man was sentenced to up to 50 years in prison Thursday for molesting two young girls “thousands of times,” prosecutors announced.

Richard Cruz, 51, was found guilty Thursday of three counts of forcible rape of a child, two counts of aggravated rape of a child by age, and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, Bristol District Attorney Thomas Quinn’s office said in a news release.

Cruz was sentenced to spend 40 to 50 years in state prison, prosecutors said.

During the trial, two women testified that they were repeatedly sexually molested and raped by Cruz throughout their childhood, Quinn’s office said.

One victim told jurors about “countless incidents” from 2000 to 2008 in which Cruz sexually assaulted her, Quinn’s office said.

The local prosecutor said that at the time of the attacks, the victim was between 7 and 14 years old.

A second woman also told prosecutors about “numerous incidents of rape and sexual harassment” in 2015 and 2019, Quinn’s office said.

That victim was between the ages of 8 and 11 when Cruz assaulted her, the Bristol County District Attorney said.

“Both victims recounted how the defendant showed them pornographic materials on numerous occasions, were forced to perform sexual acts with the defendant, and were subjected to rape and sexual assault by him,” prosecutors wrote.

Quinn’s office said the victims’ mother was in a relationship with Cruz during the assault

“The defendant molested the two young victims several thousand times is beyond comprehension. This behavior is depraved and deeply disturbing. I commend the victims for their courage and perseverance during the seven years the case has been pending,” Quinn said.

Cruz’s attorney did not respond to a request for comment Sunday night.