A New Bedford man already serving decades in prison for sexually assaulting children has been sentenced to as many as 65 years behind bars after being convicted in a second case.
Joel Berberena, 37, was convicted Sept. 1 following a jury trial in Fall River Superior Court. Prosecutors said he sexually abused two young female relatives over a period of seven to 10 years, beginning when the victims were around 7 years old.
Berberena was found guilty of multiple counts of aggravated rape of a child, assault with intent to rape a child and indecent assault and battery.
A judge sentenced him to an additional 30 to 35 years in state prison. He was already serving a 23- to 30-year sentence from a 2024 conviction involving another young female relative and her friend.
His combined sentence now stands at 53 to 65 years.
Prosecutors described Berberena as a predator who repeatedly targeted vulnerable children.
💬 What do you think—does a sentence of up to 65 years fit the crimes in this case?
