Apr 2, 2008 8:10 pm US/Eastern
Librarian Testifies About Seeing Accused Rapist
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WBZ) ―
A librarian who recognized a convicted sex offender at the New Bedford Public Library says she tried to scare him off by frequently walking into the room where he was talking to a little boy.
Eileen Michaud said she saw convicted sex offender Corey Saunders looking at pictures of boys on the library's computer on Jan. 30.
"I had told him that I believed he was looking at material that was innappropriate," Michaud said.
Michaud said Wednesday that she later overheard the boy's mother admonish the child about never talking to strangers. But it may have been too late.
Authorities say Saunders raped the boy in a secluded area of the library while the boy's mother was in a room nearby.
The librarian testified at a probation violation hearing for Saunders, who served four years in prison for attempting to rape a 7-year-old boy in 1999.
In July 2003, officials found probable cause to hold Saunders as a sexually dangerous predator. But Superior Court District Judge Richard Moses released him from prison in December of 2006, despite two experts saying he was dangerous.
"It was the wrong decision," said New Bedford police Chief Ronald Peachman. "I think that 6-year-old boy and the people of New Bedford paid the price."
At Wednesday's probation hearing, which was continued until Thursday at 10 a.m., a Det. Albert Silva said the boy identified Saunders as his attacker.
On Thursday, the taped interview with the 6-year-old boy will be played in court.
The hearing is being held to determine if Saunders had violated the terms of his probation. If found in violation, he could be sent back to prison for up to five years while he is also prosecuted on the new child rape charges.
New Bedford's library now posts pictures of the city's most dangerous sex offenders inside the entrance of the building.
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