Migrant accused of raping young girl in Rockland home pleads not guilty

A 26-year-old Haitian national accused of raping a 15-year-old girl in a hotel that served as a migrant shelter where both were living pleaded not guilty during his arraignment in Brockton Superior Court on Friday, Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz announced.

Cory B. Alvarez is charged with one count each of aggravated rape of a child with an age difference of 10 years and rape of a child by force, Cruz’s office said in a statement. Alvarez was arraigned on those charges earlier this month and his case was transferred to the Superior Court.

On the night of March 13, police went to the Comfort Inn in Rockland, 850 Hingham St., after hotel staff reported that a girl claimed she had been raped, Rockland police Sergeant Greg Pigeon testified in March in Hingham District Court during Alvarez’s dangerousness hearing. During that hearing, he was deemed dangerous and detained. Alvarez remains jailed without bail, Cruz’s office said.

The hotel has a contract with the state to provide housing for migrants. Rockland police took the girl to South Shore Hospital for treatment after she arrived at the hotel.

Alvarez entered the country legally and went through two background checks, his attorney Brian Kelley said in court, citing Gov. Maura Healey’s office. It was not clear how long Alvarez had been staying at the hotel, and Kelley said he had spent time in New York City before arriving in Massachusetts.

Both prosecutors and Kelley confirmed that the girl and Alvarez had no relationship prior to the assault charges.

• Read more: Plymouth District Attorney calls for more transparency in migrant programs after rape in home

While the girl was in the examination room with a nurse and a victim advocate, she told police she told Alvarez to leave her alone, but he “didn’t stop,” according to the report. Police then asked the girl to identify the man who attacked her from a line of photos. As officers went through each photo, the girl interrupted them when they got to the sixth of eight photos.

According to Cruz, Alvarez’s status as a migrant had no influence on how prosecutors handled his case.

Alvarez will return to court on June 11.