BOSTON — A Brazilian national living in the United States illegally has pleaded guilty to raping a Massachusetts woman and child pornography charges, the district attorney said Tuesday.
Elias Rodrigues Dos Santos Mendes, 55, of Brazil, received a sentence of 8 to 10 years in state prison for the crimes, which he committed while living in Fall River, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn said in a statement.
Dos Santos Mendes pleaded guilty on Monday in Fall River Superior Court to two counts of rape, one count of assault to rape, indecent assault and battery on a person over 14, and possessing child pornography, Quinn said.
Prosecutors said the victim, an adult woman, arrived in the United States with her four children in March 2024, with plans to live in Fall River.
The victim was introduced to Dos Santos Mendes, who was known to her, and was told that he could assist her and her children in finding housing.
While interacting with the family, Dos Santos Mendes saw the victim’s 12-year-old daughter and asked the victim to take nude photos and videos of her daughter so that he could sell them for money, prosecutors said.
Dos Santos Mendes also showed the victim numerous videos and photos on his phone of nude children, prosecutors said.
When the victim refused to involve her child, Dos Santos Mendes “became angry,” prosecutors said. The two were in Dos Santos Mendes’ vehicle in Fall River at the time.
Prosecutors said Dos Santos Mendes then sexually assaulted and raped the victim in his vehicle.
After the victim reported the rape to the police, investigators seized two of Dos Santos Mendes’ phones. He alleged one of the devices was brand new, as he had broken one of his phones the week before.
Police recovered a video on one of Dos Santos Mendes’ devices that contained child pornography, prosecutors said.
After the rape, the victim sought medical treatment that yielded a DNA sample. Prosecutors said that DNA sample was a match to Dos Santos Mendes.
Dos Santos Mendes “took advantage of his position of familiarity and trust with the victim to rape her after attempting to convince her to take nude photos of her children, which she refused,” Quinn said.
Dos Santos Mendes “was also caught with child pornography on his phone. This clearly demonstrates a disturbed and deranged mind,” Quinn said.
Dos Santos Mendes will be subject to deportation when his sentence is finished, the district attorney said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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