Fall River Father Gets 30 Years for Raping Daughters

FALL RIVER (WBSM) — The Fall River father found guilty of raping his daughters back in July has been sentenced to up to 30 years in state prison.

Danny Arruda, 46, was sentenced on September 5 to serve a sentence of 20 to 30 years in state prison for aggravated rape of a child with a 10-year age difference, six counts of indecent assault and battery on a person under the age of 14, and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over the age of 14.

Arruda was convicted on July 31, 2025 by a jury in New Bedford Superior Court.

Timeline of Abuse

According to the D.A.’s Office, Arruda sexually assaulted his three daughters in Fall River on various dates between 2012 and 2021. The first two victims ranged in age from 12 to 15 years when the sexual assaults occurred. The third child was between the ages of 12 and 13 years old when she was victimized.

These sexual assaults and rapes happened during child visitations at his Fall River residence. The girls lived with their mother following her and Arruda’s divorce.

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How the Victims Came Forward

The D.A.’s Office said the abuse was revealed in May 2021, after the youngest victim came forward. That led to charges against Arruda for all three victims.

D.A. Quinn’s Statement

"The defendant took advantage of his access to the three victims and the trust they placed in him to repeatedly molest them. This was the ultimate betrayal to molest your own flesh and blood who were very vulnerable given their relationship to the defendant,” Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III said. “The substantial sentence imposed by the court totaling 20-30 years was appropriate and well deserved.”

READ MORE: Fall River Father Found Guilty of Raping His Daughters

“I commend the victims for persevering through this very difficult ordeal. I hope they can move forward with their lives. They did nothing wrong," he said.