Jury finds Pawtucket man guilty of child molestation

Published on Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced today that a Pawtucket man has been found guilty in Providence County Superior Court of multiple counts of child molestation.

On June 16, 2025, following the conclusion of a five-day trial before Superior Court Justice Joseph A. Montalbano, a jury found Jose Perez Ayala (age 49) guilty of one count of first-degree child molestation and three counts of second-degree child molestation. 

“This victim demonstrated exceptional strength and resiliency in coming forward, and throughout the investigation and prosecution of this case,” said Attorney General Neronha. “We must support victims by creating safe environments for them to tell their stories. In doing so, victims may heal and we may bring perpetrators to justice. I am grateful to the Pawtucket Police Department and the prosecutors in my Office for their hard work on this difficult case, and to the jury for getting it right.”

During the trial, the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt that between 2011 and 2015, the defendant sexually assaulted a juvenile female victim who was known to him.

“I am grateful for the victim’s courage throughout this process which allowed us to hold this perpetrator accountable,” said Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves. “I thank our detectives and our partners at the Attorney General’s Office for their investigation and prosecutorial work.”

Special Assistant Attorneys General Megan Andrews and Meagan Thomson of the Attorney General’s Office and Detective Sergeant Andrew Torres of the Pawtucket Police Department led the investigation and prosecution of the case.

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