Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn, III announced that a Fall River man was convicted Thursday, following a Superior Court jury trial for Assault with Intent to Rape, Attempted Kidnapping, and Accosting/Annoying.
28-year-old Paulo Silva was sentenced Friday to 4.5 to 5.5 years in state prison, followed by two years of probation. The Commonwealth had sought a 7-to-12-year prison term followed by probation.
The conviction stems from an incident on July 18, 2022, at approximately 7:00 a.m., when Fall River police received a report of an attempted rape on the Quequechan Rail Trail. The victim, a 52-year-old woman, reported that while walking on the trail, she noticed Silva attempting to engage with a pregnant woman. As the victim passed by, Silva followed her, grabbed her arm, and forcibly pushed her toward a grassy embankment near the Quequechan River, verbally threatening sexual assault. The victim’s screams prompted two bystanders to intervene, causing Silva to flee. Using surveillance footage, Fall River detectives identified Silva entering a vehicle near the trail entrance shortly after the assault. When questioned, Silva admitted to police that he initially tried to get a phone number from another woman on the trail, then targeted the victim, confessing to grabbing her and attempting a sexual assault before fleeing when she screamed. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Kalene Kobza and Gillian Kirsch.
“I am very pleased that the jury held the defendant accountable for this very disturbing act of violence against the victim. It is extremely concerning that a woman can’t even enjoy a morning walk without being attacked. The defendant also approached and harassed a pregnant woman before trying to rape the victim. The defendant poses a clear danger to the public and does not belong on the street,” District Attorney Tom Quinn said.
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