Island Resident Pleads Guilty To Child Rape, Another Arraigned On Rape Charges
David Creed •
This week's Current Court Report includes arraignments and dispositions in both Nantucket Superior and District Court. It is led by an island resident who pleaded guilty to a 2003 charge of rape of a child, an island resident arraigned on rape charges, and an island resident charged with a fourth offense OUI.
Island Resident Sentenced To 2-3 Years In State Prison Following Guilty Plea To Child Rape Charge
Daniel A. Santangelo, 45, of Nantucket, pleaded guilty to a 2003 charge of rape of a child. He was sentenced to no less than two years and no more than three years in state prison by Superior Court Judge Mark Gildea at the request of the prosecution and defense. Santangelo will serve his prison sentence at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Lancaster, Massachusetts. He was ordered to submit a DNA sample and register as a sex offender.
The sexual assault took place in 2003 between Santangelo (24 at the time) and a 13-year-old girl. It was reported seven years later in 2010, but no charges resulted from the initial police investigation. Santangelo was eventually arraigned in Nantucket District Court in 2021 and Judge James Sullivan found probable cause against Santangelo on a statutory rape charge in August of 2022 during a probable cause hearing in which Santangelo’s attorney argued that the charge should be dismissed due to a lack of physical evidence and the result of no charges resulting from the 2010 investigation.
The charge was elevated to Nantucket Superior Court on March 20, 2023 after an indictment was returned by a Nantucket Grand Jury.
The victim was present for the plea and emotionally addressed Superior Court Judge Mark Gildea, who asked her if she was satisfied with the plea deal being proposed to him by both sides and how the process has played out. She said she was and thanked the court and Cape & Island’s District Attorney’s office for helping her through the process.
"I just wanted to say thank you for the time and support I have gotten," the victim said in court. "It has been a long time. I have nightmares and there are times when I am in relationships where I get flashbacks, and it makes it hard for those relationships. Lucky for me I found a guy who takes the time to understand and know that stop means stop and no means no. It has just been a struggle. I'm 34 years old. This happened so long ago. I never thought people would actually believe me and that it really happened. It has been a struggle questioning what I deserve and how I deserve to be treated by men. I finally found somebody who knows. I just appreciate the district attorney's time just listening, your time (speaking to Gildea). It means more to me than you know, and I can finally start to not worry about running into him or any of that. It is just a relief and I hope time can move on so I can move on too. Thank you sir."
Santangelo already had to supply a DNA sample to the state and register as a sex offender in the past following a 2012 conviction out of Plymouth Court on a charge of rape of a child with force - which he already completed jail time for.
Island Resident Charged With Rape, Photographing Unsuspecting Nude Person
Yoaris Manuel Eustate Alvarado, 32, of Nantucket, was arraigned on charges of rape (three counts), photographing an unsuspecting nude person (two counts), and distributing obscene matter. He had not-guilty pleas entered on his behalf and his bail will remain set at the established amount made by the Nantucket District Court in February: $2,500 cash bail, stay away and have no contact with the alleged victim, her residence, and her workplace. He was ordered to return to court January 13th, 2025 for a pretrial hearing.
Alvarado had indictments returned on these charges on August 13th by a Nantucket Superior Court grand jury. According to the police report, Nantucket Police Detective Amanda Schwenk began an investigation in April of 2023 following a report from the alleged victim that she was being videotaped without consent.
Schwenk stated that after a warrant was issued to search Alvarado’s phone, a forensic download was conducted – revealing videos of the alleged victim in which she was nude. Two of the videos were recorded on January 7, 2023, and the alleged victim said she did not consent to being filmed or any sexual activity.
The alleged victim was able to identify Alvarado in the videos due to the distinct tattoos on his hands, a yellow banded Apple Watch, and his voice.
Man Charged With Fourth Offense OUI In District Court
Christopher Fields, 60, of Nantucket was arraigned on Nov. 16 charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol (fourth offense) and negligent operation of a motor vehicle. He had not-guilty pleas entered on his behalf and had his bail set at $3,000.
Fields was expected to post the bail and if he does, was ordered by Judge James Sullivan to remain drug and alcohol free while complying with random testing. Cape & Islands assistant district attorney Michael Preble requested bail be set at $5,000 with all the conditions while Field’s attorney – Julie Gaudreau – requested he be released on his personal recognizance with no conditions attached.
According to the police report, Nantucket Police responded to a car accident at the intersection of Fairgrounds Road and Newtown Road on Saturday. Police said in their report they could smell alcohol emanating from Fields and that he stumbled on numerous occasions. They said he declined to partake in field sobriety tests and take a breath test.
*All defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty under a court of law*