Fall River Basketball Coach Sentenced for Child Rape

FALL RIVER — Brandon Rivera, a 37-year-old Fall River youth basketball coach, plead guilty and was sentenced in the Fall River Superior Court on December 6, 2108, for molesting one of his 15-year-old players, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

On May 7, 2018, the mother of the 15-year-old minor victim reported to police that Rivera, an old family friend and her daughter’s travel basketball coach, had been at her family home and took her daughter’s cell phone. The victim indicated to police that the Rivera took her cell phone because he was upset that she was communicating with a boy her own age that he determined was bad for her. The victim stated that Rivera forcefully took her phone from her on May 4, 2018, grabbing her breast, which caused bruising.

Through further investigation, the victim disclosed that Rivera had engaged in sexual encounters with her on three or four occasions at his home, starting in October of 2017 and ending in May 2018. Rivera had sex with the victim, and one time ejaculated on her stomach. Rivera also solicited naked photos of the victim. A nude photo of the victim was located on Rivera’s phone by police. Police also located school emails where Rivera discussed with the victim how she could minimize and deny the events that transpired between the two. Rivera's phone contained text messages with the victim that confirmed their intimate relationship, the controlling nature of the relationship by Rivera, and the bruising the child sustained from the May 2018 incident. Rivera was indicted and charged with aggravated rape, indecent assault and battery on a person over 14, assault and battery, and possession of child pornography.

At sentencing, Judge Mark Hallal imposed an agreed upon state prison sentence of five to seven years for a statutory rape, and eight years of probation to follow on the other charges. The Commonwealth was represented by Assistant District Attorney Lesly Leahy. Conditions of probation prevent Rivera from having any unsupervised contact with children; with limited exceptions for any biological children with notice and agreement by the other parent. Rivera must register with the Sex Offender Registry Board, attend sex offender treatment as ordered by the court and wear a GPS tracking device. Rivera cannot loiter or reside within 300 feet of any school, K-12, daycare, playground, public pool, arcade, theme park, skating rink, toy store or any other location where children under 18 may be readily observed to congregate. Rivera must seek prior approval if he has a legitimate reason to visit such a location. He must successfully enter and complete a batterers program, and Rivera cannot coach children in any manner.

“This defendant took advantage of his position as a coach and family friend to sexually molest the victim,” District Attorney Quinn said. “The sentence holds the defendant accountable for this significant breach of trust but the victim will have to carry this with her for the rest of her life.”

-- Bristol County District Attorney's Office