Mass. firefighter convicted of raping teen girl

A Massachusetts firefighter was found guilty last week of raping a 15-year-old girl in 2021, authorities announced. 

Colton Paszkowski, 27, of Millbury was convicted by a jury of six counts of rape of a child, the Worcester County District Attorney’s office said in a statement. He was found not guilty of one count of witness intimidation. 

Paszkowski, who had been out on bail, was taken into custody following the Friday verdict. He was arrested and charged in connection with the rapes, which took place 2021 in the towns of Northbridge, Millbury, and Sutton, in December 2021. 

“This sexual assault survivor showed great strength and courage while testifying about her ordeal,” Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early, Jr. said in a statement on Tuesday.

Paszkowski, a Millbury call firefighter, has been on unpaid leave since the accusations emerged, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports. 

The Millbury Fire Department did not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday evening. 

Paszkowski was accused of raping the girl in connection with another job he had at the time, working as a horse farrier, according to the Telegram & Gazette.

Paszkowski’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on Aug. 25.