'This is not a frail man': Victims' attorney 'pleased' child rapist won't be released

BOSTON — Sex offender Wayne Chapman has been arrested by officers from the Department of Correction for alleged lewd acts in prison.

Jacob Dobson, the deputy director of communications at the Massachusetts Department of Correction tells Boston 25 News that Wayne Chapman was arrested Wednesday morning for incidents that occurred at MCI-Shirley on June 3 and 4.

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Chapman pleaded not guilty in court. He is being held without bail pending a hearing later in June.

Officials say Chapman was arrested for indecent exposure, lewd, wanton and lascivious acts and open and gross lewdness and lascivious behavior.

"Inmate Wayne Chapman was placed under arrest by officers from the Massachusetts Department of Correction and the Massachusetts State Police this morning.  He was arrested for indecent exposure, lewd, wanton and lascivious acts and open and gross lewdness and lascivious behavior stemming from incidents at MCI-Shirley that occurred on June 3rd and 4th.  DOC is seeking an arraignment in Ayer District Court today.  Mr. Chapman remains in DOC custody."

- Jacob Dobson

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Chapman, who is believed to have attacked as many as 100 children, has been fighting for his release from prison since 2004 when he finished a decades-long prison sentence for raping two Lawrence boys.

Chapman has also been suspected in the 1976 disappearance of a 10-year-old Lawrence boy. Perkins was childhood friends with Andy Puglisi and in 1976, Andy disappeared from a Lawrence swimming pool.

"My heart breaks for his family and for all the victims of Wayne Chapman because there are many. Children in Providence who were raped by him  children in Massachusetts who were raped by him," said Melanie Perkins.

MORE: Convicted child rapist Wayne Chapman no longer a threat, state determines

The families of Chapman's victims were notified last week that he was going to be released after mental health examiners determined he was no longer a threat to children.

Boston 25 News talked to several government officials who said there is no appeal process because the SJC ruled a few years ago that once two independent experts find someone like Chapman no longer sexually dangerous, he gets released without a hearing.

“It's mind-boggling. I don't know how this happened because there are still too many secrets in this case,” Victims advocate and former prosecutor Wendy Murphy.

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Murphy spoke with Boston 25 News Wednesday morning after news came of Chapman's arrest.

"You can imagine. I'm just thrilled. But I'm also not shocked. If you look at his history, even in the examiners reports that decided he was no longer dangerous, they make reference to other incidents where he did exactly the same thing behind bars at MCI-Shirley. That was one of the reasons we argued that examiners were wrong and that he shouldn't be released," said Murphy. "If he was continuing to commit sex offenses behind bars, what would possibly posses them to opine that he would somehow stop once he got out?"

Chapman is now set to be arraigned Wednesday on the new charges. He remains in DOC custody.

After Chapman's court appearance Wednesday morning, Wendy Murphy issued the following statement:

We are very pleased that Wayne Chapman will not be released. I spoke with victims this morning. They were relieved and very emotional. One was sobbing.

I am not surprised by this development. Chapman has committed other sex offenses while behind bars, including one as recently as this March involving the same conduct for which he was charged today -- indecent exposure and lewd conduct.

It boggles the mind that not one, but two qualified examiners could find this man not sexually dangerous.

The absurdity of their decisions is why we have been fighting so hard to prevent his release.

This is not a frail man with a walker.

This is a dangerous man with no conscience - who used knives, rope, and duct tape on his child victims, and boasted about feeling pleasure in their pain.

Although Chapman will not be released, we will continue to press our appeal in the hope that the Supreme Judicial Court will take this opportunity to clarify its Johnstone decision from 2009, which gives qualified examiners far too much power to decide the fate of men like Wayne Chapman.

Chapman is only one offender. If the SJC doesn't act quickly, similarly dangerous sex offenders will be released under similarly disturbing conditions.

Wendy Murphy, attorney for Chapman victims 

MORE: Victims' appeal denied, child rapist Wayne Chapman set for release

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