Press Release  Root sent to prison for sexually assaulting a child

PITTSFIELD — A Pittsfield man, found guilty March 23^rd, was sentenced this afternoon in Berkshire Superior Court.  The jury deliberated for about 6 hours over a two day period before returning its verdict against 43 year old CHRISTOPHER L. ROOT. 

ROOT was found guilty on two (2) counts of RAPE AND ABUSE OF A CHILD AGGRAVATED BY AN AGE DIFFERENCE and one (1) count of INDECENT ASSAULT AND BATTERY ON A PERSON WHO HAS ATTAINED 14.  Judge Agostini ordered that he serve concurrent 20 to 25 year state prison sentences at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction on the charges of RAPE AND ABUSE OF A CHILD AGGRAVATED BY AN AGE DIFFERENCE.  ROOT was given a concurrent 4 to 5 year state prison sentence on the other charge.        

The charges stem from incidents that occurred in Pittsfield between August 1, 2014 and December 9, 2014.  The victim is a girl who is now 19 years of age.    

The investigation was conducted by members of the Pittsfield Police Department and state troopers assigned to the District Attorney’s Office. 

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