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Jose Melendez, age 55, was previously convicted four counts of aggravated rape of a child and one count of aggravated assault and battery on a child on May 31, the office reports. The counts stem from his time as a paraprofessional at Mario Umana Academy in East Boston, during which he abused a male student from 2015 to 2016.
"Before, [he] would want to go out, but after he stopped and never wanted to go out or go to school, and he would fight with me,” the victim’s father recounted during Melendez's sentencing. “It wasn’t until he was in high school when [he] couldn’t hold it in anymore and had to share what was happening with him.”
Melendez used his position to take advantage of the student, who has disabilities that impact his ability to communicate and other areas of his development, according to the office.
The victim was in sixth and seventh grades at the time of the abuse but did not tell his family until high school. District Attorney Kevin Hayden said this is a very common occurrence.
“When their abuser is someone in a position of trust or authority, it can be even more challenging for a young person to disclose what’s happened to them,” Hayden said. “Parents and others who have children in their lives should make sure that kids and teens know that they can talk to you about anything that makes them feel scared, uncomfortable or unsafe."
Upon his release from prison, Melendez will also be required to register as a sex offender.
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