DARTMOUTH, Mass. (WLNE) — Former Dartmouth police officer Shawn Souza was sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison following his rape conviction. The sentence also included two years of parole. Souza was originally tried in 2022, but that trial ended in a hung jury. He was found guilty of two counts of aggravated rape of a child, one count of rape of a child by force, and one court of indecent assault and battery of a person 14 or older. The victims were Souza’s young step-daughter and a teenaged family friend. Souza was originally arrested in 2019, and was placed on leave from the Dartmouth Police Department, where he had worked for 10 years. According to a release sent out by Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III, evidence presented by the prosecutors proved that the defendant raped his stepdaughter on multiple occasions. She was between the ages of 6 and 8 from 2011 to 2013. Souza was also found guilty of molesting a 15-year-old girl in 2013. He had previously been let out on bail with a GPS tracker. Impact statements were read by an attorney and one of the victims ahead of sentencing. In a statement, District Attorney Quinn said: The defendant took advantage of his position of trust and access to sexually abuse a six year old child over a two year period.  The victim had viewed him as a father figure and eloquently said in court that he was the only father she had, and he should’ve protected her.  It is a particularly aggravating factor that he was raping the victim while he was a police officer.  In addition, I also want to thank the second victim for coming forward and testifying,” District Attorney Quinn said.  “ I commend the victims and their families for persevering through this difficult ordeal, including a second trial. I admire the victim for telling the court today that she refused to be defined by what the defendant did to her. I would like to thank the prosecution team, specifically Assistant District Attorney Silvia Rudman, Chief of the Special Victims Unit, and Assistant District Attorney Kalene Kobza for their efforts in this case. A lengthy state prison sentence was warranted. Categories: Massachusetts, News