News Release
U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
District of Rhode Island
June 12, 2008
Sex offender admits failing to register after moving to Rhode Island from Massachusetts
Michael DiTomasso, 35, of Woonsocket, and formerly of Milford, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty today to failing to register as a sex offender after moving from Milford to Woonsocket last year. DiTomasso is the first offender convicted in Rhode Island under a two-year old federal law requiring sex offenders who move from one state to another to register as sex offenders in the new state of residence.
United States Attorney Robert Clark Corrente announced the guilty plea, which DiTomasso entered before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi in U.S. District Court, Providence.
At the plea hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah said that the government could prove that DiTomasso pleaded guilty in 1995 in Worcester to separate cases of rape and abuse of a child under 16 and indecent assault of a child under 14. In February 2007, DiTomasso moved to Woonsocket, and, under the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, was required to register in Rhode Island as a sex offender.
In March 2007, Woonsocket Police Officer William Coupe advised DiTomasso that he was required to register with Woonsocket Police. DiTomasso, who lived within walking distance of Woonsocket Police headquarters, failed to do so, and Woonsocket Police arrested him about a week later. In October, deputy U.S. Marshals arrested him on a federal complaint. It was the first charge brought in Rhode Island under the federal law, which was enacted as part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection Act of 2006.
DiTomasso is detained pending sentencing, which is scheduled for October 24. The maximum penalty is ten years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.