Massachusetts Man Sentenced 12-15 Years for Raping, Impregnating Daughter at Shelter

Ronald Joseph, a 44-year-old Haitian national living in a government-run migrant shelter in Marlborough, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to aggravated rape of his 14-year-old daughter and was sentenced to 12 to 15 years in prison. The crimes occurred between 2023 and 2024 while they were both residing at the same shelter, where adults at the hotel and the victim's school reported concerns after the girl became pregnant. An extensive ultrasound and DNA testing confirmed that Joseph was the biological father of the victim's baby, with forensic analysis showing it was twenty-three trillion times more likely than not. Joseph entered the U.S. in May 2023 without valid paperwork but was granted entry and given a date to appear before an immigration judge; an ICE detainer has been filed against him. The victim was placed into the care of the Department of Children and Families during the investigation, and Joseph was arrested in January 2025. Authorities including Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Marlborough Police Chief David Giorgi handled the case, emphasizing the gravity of the offense and the shelter's role as an emergency facility at the time.