Press Release  Quincy Man Pleads Guilty, Sentenced in Connection With Creating Fake Online Profiles to Solicit Acts of Violence Against Women

DEDHAM — A Quincy man has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to the House of Correction in connection with creating multiple fake online profiles of women on an adult website and soliciting acts of kidnapping, rape and assault, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

Thomas Sheehan, age 47, pleaded guilty today in Norfolk Superior Court to the charges of Solicitation to Commit Rape (three counts), Solicitation to Commit Rape of a Child (two counts), Solicitation to Commit Kidnapping (five counts) and Wanton or Reckless Behavior Creating a Risk of Serious Bodily Injury or Sexual Abuse to a Child (two counts).

Following the plea, Judge Gregg J. Pasquale sentenced Sheehan to two-and-a-half years in the House of Correction, with 16 months committed and the balance suspended for four years with the conditions that he have no contact with the victims, no internet access, stay away from parks, schools and playgrounds and have no unsupervised contact with children under the age of 16 and submit to mental health evaluations. The AG’s Office recommended a sentence of two-and-a-half years in the House of Correction, followed by five years of probation.

Groveland Police, with assistance from State Police assigned to the AG’s Office and Quincy Police, determined that Sheehan impersonated three different women on an adult website and communicated with people on the website who expressed an interest in stalking, raping, kidnapping and torturing the women and their children per Sheehan’s request. The online profiles Sheehan created have been taken down from the website.

The AG’s Office began an investigation after the case was referred by the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office and the Essex District Attorney’s Office. Sheehan was arrested in January 2016 by State Police assigned to the AG’s Office with assistance from Groveland Police.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Allyson Portney and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Stone, both of AG Healey’s Enterprise, Major and Cyber Crime Division, with assistance from Victim Witness Advocate Amber Anderson, of AG Healey’s Victim Witness Services Division. It was investigated by Groveland Police with assistance from Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AG’s Office, Quincy Police and investigators from the AG’s Digital Evidence Lab. The Norfolk District Attorney’s Office and Essex District Attorney’s Office also assisted in the investigation of this case.

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