Beverly Man Jailed For Sexual Abuse

The Newburyport Daily News reports that a Beverly man has been sentenced to 2 1/2 years in jail yesterday after pleading guilty to engaging in sexual acts with two girls who were 13 and 14 at the time and pledging them to secrecy about it by asking, “You guys aren’t snitches, are you?”

Chad Soper, 21, formerly of 50 Broadway, had been charged with child rape in one of the two cases, but to spare the two girls from having to testify at trial, prosecutors agreed to reduce the charges in exchange for his guilty plea. That agreement was accepted by Salem District Court Judge Sabita Singh.

Soper instead pleaded guilty to charges of indecent assault and battery and unnatural acts involving a child.

Prosecutor Carolanne Hillis described how the incidents came to light in May when the younger of the girls, then 13, disclosed that she and Soper had engaged in sexual acts and that she feared she was pregnant.

The girl told investigators that they had met in April through a mutual friend, who turned out to be the other victim in the case, and that the three smoked marijuana. Soper then asked the younger girl to engage in oral sex.

A few days later, on April 11, they ran into each other again. The girl said she thought Soper was 18. The three ended up at the Beverly Golf and Tennis Club, where, the girl later said, Soper suggested that they have sex.

Though the girl, who was in middle school, suggested “I don’t know if I’m ready,” Soper encouraged her, saying, “You should — it’ll feel great.”

Later, when the girl, who had no previous sexual experience, worried that she had become pregnant, Soper allegedly told her not to worry, claiming, “I have a low sperm count.”

Subsequently, the older girl reported that she, too, had engaged in sexual activity with Soper when she was 14 and 15, after meeting him at the Balch Street Playground when she was in eighth grade. That led to charges of unnatural and lascivious conduct against Soper.

Following his release from prison, Soper will spend five years on probation, during which he’ll have to wear a GPS bracelet that tracks his movements and have no contact with either victim or with any child under 16. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.

« Back to Our Blog and Resource Center – Boston Injury & Massachusetts Employment Law

Can We Help You?

Call 617.559.1530 or complete the form below.

By submitting this form, Fogelman Law will take no action on your behalf. Submission of this form does not establish an attorney-client relationship.