Winthrop Man Charged with Statutory Rape/Arraigned on 03/09/10

 Attn:  All Winthrop Residents

Forwarded on behalf of Chief Terence Delehanty - Winthrop Police Department

Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley
Suffolk County Massachusetts District Attorney seal
 
One Bulfinch Place, Boston, MA 02114-2921

Press Office
News Release 10-063

WINTHROP MAN CHARGED WITH STATUTORY RAPE, OTHER OFFENSES, FOR ALLEGED INCIDENTS WITH 14-YEAR-OLD

BOSTON, March 9, 2010—A Winthrop man was held on high bail today following his arraignment on charges that he had sex with a 14-year-old girl and repeatedly sent her explicit text messages via cell phone, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said today.

SEAN SHANAHAN (D.O.B. 12/4/64) was arraigned today in East Boston District Court on two counts of statutory rape and single counts of enticement of a child and indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older. His bail was set at $50,000 cash and he was ordered to have no contact with the victim or any minors during the pendency of his case.

Assistant District Attorney Jennifer OKeeffe told the court that Winthrop Police were contacted by members of the victim’s family on Feb. 23 and undertook an investigation that led them from her cell phone to Shanahan’s home.

Prosecutors allege that Shanahan had sexual contact with the victim on at least two dates in February – once inside his residence and once at a different location in the same building. Prosecutors also allege that Shanahan sent dozens of sexually explicit text messages from his cell phone to hers during the same time period.

“Parents have to take note of this extremely disturbing case,” Conley said. “If ever there were a reason to stay informed about what your kids are doing and who they’re texting with, this is it.”

Shanahan is represented by attorney John Hayes. He will return to court on April 5.

All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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