Worcester Man, 63, Accused of Raping Girl Under 14 in Church Basement, Freed on Bail Then Held in Other Case

A Worcester man accused of raping a girl under 14 in a Milford church basement was held over a separate case on Monday after initially being released on $15,000 (£11,240) bail.

Raul Feliciano, 63, had been arrested by Worcester police on Friday following an investigation that Milford detectives began on 9 September. Police allege that he lured the child into the basement of her family's church and sexually assaulted her.

A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf on all charges at Milford District Court on Monday. He is charged with rape of a child and indecent assault and battery on a child younger than 14.

Separate Proceedings Keep Worcester Man in Custody

At Monday's arraignment, Judge Richard Eustis left Feliciano's $15,000 bail in the Milford case unchanged but revoked his bail in a separate Worcester case, meaning he would remain in custody until that matter is resolved.

Eustis also imposed conditions that Feliciano must follow if he is released. He must wear a GPS monitoring bracelet and have no contact with children. Those restrictions concern any future release and do not alter the decision to hold him over the Worcester matter.

Church Investigation Leads to Worcester Man's Arrest

Milford police outlined the investigation in a press release, stating that detectives obtained a warrant for Feliciano's arrest on Friday. Worcester police arrested him at 1:15pm on Friday, according to the department.

The allegation concerns a church in Milford, Massachusetts, attended by the child's family. Detectives allege that Feliciano lured the girl downstairs before the sexual assault.

The girl was under 14 when the alleged assault took place, police stated, but her precise age has not been disclosed.

Milford police did not specify when the alleged assault occurred. However, a police report cited by The Boston Globe alleges that the incident took place approximately two years earlier, when the girl was around 13. The investigation began on 9 September 2026.

Police Chief Addresses Allegations Against Worcester Man

Milford Police Chief Robert Tusino addressed both the alleged harm to the child and the location described by investigators in the department's statement.

'To violate a child is among the most heinous of crimes,' Tusino stated. 'Doing so in place of worship only further cements the depravity of this assault.'

Tusino's statement set out the department's response to the allegation that the assault occurred in a place of worship. Feliciano's not guilty plea covers both charges brought over the alleged assault. The bail decisions concern his custody and the conditions of any release, leaving the allegations to be addressed in the court proceedings.

Court records were impounded, limiting public access to the documents concerning the case. No lawyer for Feliciano was listed in court documents, although that does not establish whether he had legal representation at Monday's arraignment.

Feliciano is scheduled to return to court on Tuesday, 27 October, for a status hearing. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Prosecutors must prove the charges brought against him in court, while the defence can respond to the evidence and allegations as the proceedings move forward.