Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced last week that a Massachusetts man has been sentenced in Kent County Superior Court to serve 19 years at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) for sexually assaulting a male victim under the age of 14 in Warwick.

At a hearing on Sept. 6, Court Justice Luis M. Matos sentenced Joao Soares, age 32, to 40 years, with 19 years to serve at the ACI, and a 21-year suspended sentence with 40 years of probation, according to Neronha’s office.

“The defendant must also register as a sex offender, comply with all statutory requirements relating to sex offender registration, and complete sex offender counseling,” according to a press release from the AG. “There is also a No-Contact Order between the defendant and the victim and with children under the age of 16 years old.”

On June 5, after a three-day trial a jury found the defendant guilty of seven counts of first-degree child molestation and one count of second-degree child molestation.

“Behind every case we prosecute involving childhood sexual abuse is a courageous victim who, despite enduring incredible trauma, held their attacker accountable,” Neronha said in a press release. “I want to thank the victim in this case for his incredible bravery in coming forward and providing a powerful statement to the court, thereby ensuring the defendant is held responsible for his crimes. I am grateful to the Warwick Police Department for their outstanding work during the investigation and prosecution of this case.”

During the trial, the prosecution proved beyond a reasonable doubt that between 2007 and 2009, the defendant sexually assaulted a male victim, under the age of 14 and known to him, at a home in Warwick, according to Neronha’s office.

“The victim’s bravery in coming forward allowed justice to be served, and for that I am grateful,” said Warwick Chief of Police Colonel Bradford Connor. “I appreciate the efforts of our detectives and prosecutors in the Attorney General’s Office on their successful investigation and prosecution of this offender. Hopefully, this sentencing will help in the ongoing healing process for the victim and his loved ones.”

Special Assistant Attorneys General Arthur DeFelice and Doug Ciullo led the prosecution; Warwick Police Sgt. Nate Chea and Detective Joseph DeDonato (retired) led the investigation.