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Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced today that a former Easton man was convicted of brutally assaulting and raping a female victim and sentenced to serve 20 to 25 years in state prison.
Adam Gomm, 29, formerly of Easton, pleaded guilty Friday in Fall River Superior Court to charges of aggravated rape, breaking and entering, armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon resulting in serious bodily injury, and witness intimidation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Casey Smith, a member of District Attorney Quinn’s Abuse Unit.
On July 17, 2013, the defendant broke into the trailer of a female he knew in Easton. The adult female victim awoke to find the defendant standing above her with a hammer in his hand. He ordered the victim to do what he wanted or he would kill her. The defendant then raped the victim, before then striking her multiple times in the head and shoulder with the hammer. The victim was eventually able to wrestle free from the defendant and ran outside, bloodied and half clothed. A sheriff’s deputy happened to be in the area at the time, and was able to get medical help for the victim.
At the same time, neighbors reported seeing a suspicious man in a nearby field. Police responded and apprehended Mr. Gomm in the field.
In May of 2015, as the case was still pending, the defendant sent a threatening letter to the victim, telling her that if she did not have all the charges against him dropped, he would kill her in a grisly manner and also kill her mother and siblings. This incident resulted in the witness intimidation charge also being lodged against the defendant.
The “unagreed plea” was submitted to Judge William Sullivan on Friday afternoon. Assistant District Attorney Smith argued for a 27 to 30 year state prison sentence, while Mr. Gomm’s defense attorney requested a 10 to 15 years state prison sentence. After hearing from both sides, Judge Sullivan sentenced Mr. Gomm to 20 to 25 years in state prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised probation.
The condition of his probation will include: The defendant shall attend sex offender treatment at his own expense as directed by the Probation Officer and as ordered by the court, at a program approved by the Probation Department, and shall remain in treatment unless and until professionally discharged by the approved sex offender therapist; the defendant shall comply with his legal obligations to register with the Sex Offender Registry Board; the defendant shall have no contact, directly or indirectly with the victim in this case, or any member of her family; the defendant will be subject to GPS monitoring for the duration of his probation at his own expense. Exclusionary zones will include the victim’s residence, her mother’s residence, any place where the victim is employed and any outpatient facility at which the victim receives treatment. The defendant agrees that the exclusionary zones shall be subject to change over time; the defendant shall undergo a mental health evaluation upon his release and will comply with any and all treatment recommendations put forth.
“This was a horrific attack on a young woman that will likely stay with her for many years to come. I applaud the victim in this case for the courage she has shown throughout the process, even after receiving threats of future violence from the defendant,” said District Attorney Quinn. “This defendant was a menace, and there is no place in society for people like him. I hope that this harsh prison sentence will bring the victim and her family some peace.”
