A Massachusetts man was denied parole after being in prison for about 20 years for raping a 14-year-old he met at the Springfield Public Library.
Steven Pete went in front of the parole board for the first time in January. In 2006, Pete was convicted of statutory rape of a child. He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Pete was also convicted of a second count of statutory rape of a child, for which he was sentenced to a concurrent term of life in prison, and one count of criminal harassment, for which he was sentenced to a concurrent term of about 2 years.
The girl was a sophomore in high school and enjoyed playing chess with a friend at the library. Over time, Pete continued meeting with the girl, the parole board stated.
The girl tried to end contact with Pete and, at one point, was removed from the building by a security guard. She told her mother about the rape and that Pete was stalking her.
The girl’s mother brought her to the hospital. During this time, Pete arrived at the hospital to visit the girl. The Springfield police arrested Pete at the hospital.
Prior to this, Pete had another conviction for assault to rape, the parole board stated. He was also convicted of prior open and gross lewdness.
While in prison, he continues to have disciplinary reports that include numerous reports for indecent exposure.
A unanimous decision by the parole board denied him parole with another review in three years. During that time, the parole board suggested continuing to invest in treatment, remain disciplinary report free and demonstrate a longer period of stability.
