Frank Holland

Victims, Families React to New Charges Against Child Rapist

Wayne Chapman's victims are breathing a sigh of relief now that he is being held without bail on new charges

Seeing convicted child rapist Wayne Chapman held without bail on new charges of indecent exposure and lewd conduct is a relief for many of his victims and the family of one of his suspected victims.

He likely would have been free any day now, but the door out of prison could be closing for Chapman.

“I don’t want anybody ever to have to go through what I’ve gone through because of him,” said a man who only wants his initials “R.D.” used and was one of Chapman’s victims decades ago. “We know what he is. We know what he’s capable of. Why let him out?”

R.D. has been fighting to keep the 70-year-old in prison.

“I hope they put him behind bars and keep him there,” said Billie Scharn, who is fighting the same battle as R.D.

Chapman has long been a person of interest in Scharn's nephew’s disappearance. Andy Puglisi was just 10 years old when he vanished while heading to a Lawrence pool in 1976.

“Why would you think it was ok that this man can come back out in society,” said Scharn. “I think he’s playing a little game with how feeble he is.”

Scharn said there is no justice for her nephew if a man like Chapman can be released. 

But after some 40 years in prison, Chapman was set to be released after two experts concluded he was no longer sexually dangerous.

“This is a man who is not being assessed correctly,” said attorney Wendy Murphy, who says she represents multiple Chapman victims.

R.D., who says Chapman sexually assaulted him and a friend, held a news conference alongside Murphy at the New England College of Law on Wednesday.

Murphy has been appealing to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to block Chapman’s release, and she has more time to make her case now that Chapman is facing new charges for allegedly exposing himself to prison nurses this week.

Chapman is being held without bail at least until his next court hearing later this month.

“So much for the guy is too old and too sick to reoffend,” said Murphy.

If convicted on these new charges, which include indecent exposure, Chapman could spend several years in prison.

His next court day is June 27 where a judge could decide on bail in this new case, and that could clear the way to his release.

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