RI man sentenced to life in prison for child molestation. What to know.
PROVIDENCE – A Superior Court judge sentenced a Glocester man to life in prison for molesting a girl he knew nearly two decades ago.
James Ballou, 45, was sentenced by Judge Daniel A. Procaccini to life in prison on one count of first-degree child molestation, plus a consecutive 12 years for two counts of second-degree child molestation.
He must register as a sex offender upon his release. The judge ordered him to not contact the woman.
The trial and outcome
A jury convicted for molesting one of two women to accuse him in February after a 12-day trial, but the jury was hung on the same allegations raised by a second female, said Ballou's lawyer, Robert Caron. The state dismissed those charges, he said.
"We feel we have very, very strong issues on appeal," Caron said.
Ballou has been held without bail since shortly after his conviction.
Evidence showed that Ballou sexually assaulted one of the girls, who was younger than 14, from 2005 through 2009 at homes in Glocester and Burrillville.
More: Former Providence gym teacher found guilty of molesting student. What we know.
“I am thankful to the victim for coming forward and telling her story,” Burrillville Police Chief Stephen J. Lynch said at the time of Ballou's conviction. “The defendant has finally been held accountable for his actions, and our community is safer for it.”
He expressed gratitude to the investigators with the Burrillville and Glocester police departments and state prosecutors.
Assistant Attorneys General Ania Zielinski and Special Assistant Attorney General Danielle Beauvais prosecuted the case, with retired Detective Lt. Guy Riendeau and Detective Lt. Jason Cahill of the Burrillville Police Department and Glocester police Sgt. Kimberly Bertholic leading the investigation.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI man will serve life in prison for molesting a teenager
