A Cape Cod man faced a judge Thursday after being charged with 11 counts of rape.
Prosecutors say 42-year-old Barry Viprino of Harwich, Massachusetts, was arraigned on charges stemming from the sexual assaults of three women this year.
Police in Harwich learned of allegations from one woman in August, and two more victims came forward in October and November, according to the Cape & Islands District Attorney's Office.
In the first incident reported to police, which prosecutors say happened in August, Viprino is accused of locking the door to a "detached garage/office space" at his home, lifting his shirt to show what appeared to be a gun, and telling the victim to take her clothes off. Prosecutors say she complied out of fear.
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That same month, prosecutors say Viprino sexually assaulted a second victim in his garage/office, repeatedly threatening and coercing her over the next several weeks. He is accused of forcing her to sell vape pods to her underage friends.
According to the district attorney's office, Viprino would allegedly "punish her with sexual assaults if she did not sell enough pods or if she otherwise got into trouble or fights."
Prosecutors say Viprino met the third victim while she was at the second victim's home. He is accused of bringing her back to his garage/office, locking her in and sexually assaulting her. He allegedly told her "that this would happen at least 3 times a week and if she did not follow the rules, she would be in trouble."
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He sexually assaulted the third victim at least two more times, at the second victim's house and at his own garage/office, prosecutors allege.
The district attorney's office did not give the ages of any of the victims, but noted that Viprino had been arraigned Thursday at Orleans District Court on 11 counts of rape and one count of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over.
Viprino was also charged with possession of a large capacity firearm after multiple high-capacity magazines and "the owner's manual to a specific type of firearm" were found in a September search of his garage/office, prosecutors said.
A judge ordered Viprino to be held on $200,000 bail. He is due back in court on Dec. 14.
It was not immediately clear if Viprino had an attorney who could answer to the charges against him.
Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673, and Massachusetts provides this list of statewide and resources for sexual assault survivors.
