Taunton man discovered responsible of raping co-worker in 2018 drugged drink case

A 50-year-man was sentenced to six to 10 years in jail in Fall River Superior Court docket on Friday for raping his youthful feminine co-worker after providing her a drink which left her with no reminiscence of the night time.

“I am pleased that the jury held the defendant accountable for taking advantage of the victim whom he knew,” stated Bristol County DA Thomas Quinn. “The defendant purchased a drink for the victim when she was not present and after consuming some of the drink, she became extremely impaired. The DNA evidence was critical in the case as the defendant lied to the police during the investigation.”

A jury trial discovered Dino Balanca, of Taunton, of raping his co-worker and intimidation of a witness final week. Decide Rene Dupuis sentenced Balanca to six to 10 years in state jail with a 3-year probation on Friday.

On Feb. 8, 2018, the then-27-year-old sufferer was closing out her shift on the Sandbar Grill in Taunton when her coworker, Balanca, supplied to drive her house after she completed, the DA’s workplace stated. Balanca headed to Bobby’s Pub subsequent door, and the sufferer met him there after her shift, ordering one drink.

On the pub, the DA stated, the sufferer went to the restroom, and when she returned Balanca gave her one other drink she hadn’t ordered.

She drank some and went outdoors to smoke a cigarette, the DA’s workplace said. The final reminiscence she has of the night was smoking.

At about 2 a.m. the following day, the sufferer’s boyfriend acquired “frantic” calls from her, saying she was outdoors — within the 17-degree climate — and didn’t know the place she was.

It took the boyfriend an hour and 40 minutes driving round Taunton to seek out her, the DA’s workplace stated.

Alone on the road outdoors, she had a bleeding gash above her proper eye and accidents to her leg and foot, the prosecutors stated. The younger girl was disoriented and never aware of her boyfriend’s questions.

The sufferer was additionally lacking her purse, the DA stated, and the following morning, the defendant texted he had it.

The sufferer and her boyfriend got here to gather the purse, throughout which Balanca stated he had “no knowledge” of what occurred and he or she left the bar on her personal accord, prosecutors recounted.

Later that day, the sufferer went to Morton Hospital, was handled for her accidents and had a sexual assault equipment carried out. An inside swab discovered sperm cells, the DA’s workplace stated, which have been matched to Balanca’s DNA.

Throughout her testimony, prosecutors stated, the sufferer said she would by no means have consented to sexual activity with the defendant.

When questioned by police, Balanca gave varied accounts of the occasions, first saying the sufferer left Bobby’s Pub whereas he was within the rest room and a pub worker gave him her purse. Surveillance footage exhibits the 2 strolling in the direction of his automobile and getting in collectively round 1 a.m.

Balanca later instructed police he drove the sufferer however didn’t know the place he dropped her off, the DA’s workplace stated. He then stated he dropped her off at house.

In one other recount in the course of the trial, Balanca instructed the jury he lied to police, stating he and the sufferer left the pub collectively and had consensual intercourse.