THOMAS E. MOORE Jr.
WESTFIELD – A city man will be in state prison for decades after his conviction on child rape charges in Hampden Superior Court Wednesday.
City detective Roxanne Bradley began an investigation in 2009 after a then 16-year-old boy reported to a school counselor that he and another boy had been raped repeatedly, separately and together, over a period of years starting when he was in kindergarten.
Bradley said that the boy was moved to report the crime after he saw his abuser in the company of two young children and became concerned that the man would also abuse them.
Bradley said that her investigation into Thomas E. Moore Jr., 37, of 95 Highland Ave., led to a trial in the Springfield court on two charges of rape of a child with force which resulted in a hung jury.
A subsequent trial before Judge John S. Ferrara resulted in a guilty verdict Wednesday and Moore was sentenced tThursday to two consecutive terms of 12-15 years in state prison.
“He’ll be doing not less than 24 years” in prison, Bradley said.
