Jaffrey man sentenced to 8 to 20 years in prison for sexual assault

MANCHESTER, N.H – During a two-day trial in Hillsborough County Superior Court – North, testimony revealed that Matthew Rinaldi of Jaffrey sexually abused an 18-year-old girl who was on a family camping trip at Greenfield State Park in 2021; She threatened to break her fingers if she reported the sexual assault. Rinaldi has previous convictions for domestic violence, including breaking his wife’s fingers. He was convicted of serious sexual assault at the end of February.

The trial, announced Tuesday by Hillsborough District Attorney John Coughlin, was scheduled for May 6, 2024. In sentencing Rinaldi to a term of 8 to 20 years in NH State Prison, Judge William Delker noted the palpable pain in the victim’s voice and the tension in the prison room as she testified in court. In justifying the verdict, Judge Delker also referred to Rinaldi’s attempt to shift the blame for the sexual assault onto the victim.

“Our office is dedicated to eliminating violence against children, the most vulnerable victims in our community,” Coughlin said. “This prosecution is once again an example of the exemplary work of the Hillsborough District Attorney’s Special Victims Unit attorneys, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, in their continued effort to bring sex offenders to justice and protect our community from predatory violence.”

Ryan C. Dill of the Hillsborough District Attorney’s Special Victims Unit represented the state. Attorney Dill praised the investigative work of the Jaffrey Police Department.

The verdict would not have been possible without the dedicated work of Detective Jeremy LeBlanc of the Jaffrey Police Department and victim advocate Merrill Beauchamp of the District Attorney’s Office.