Terence Crosbie, the Dublin firefighter who was last week found guilty of raping a woman in Boston in March 2024, was sentenced to seven to nine years in a Massachusetts state prison today, Thursday, October 30.
Crosbie, who had pleaded not guilty to the charge, will be going behind bars at a supermax security prison in Lancaster, Massachusetts. He received a credit of 593 days.
The sentence was handed down today by Suffolk Superior Court Judge Joshua Wall. Prosecutors had sought a sentence of nine to 12 years, while the defense had requested three to five years.
Judge Wall told the court: "In this case, the victim was safely asleep under the covers in her locked hotel room. The defendant attacked a woman who was asleep, defenseless.
"Mr. Crosbie committed a predatory sexual act; it is an act of extraordinary sexual violence. The victim resisted, and Mr. Crosbie persisted. Mr. Crosbie prolonged the violence, the fear, the trauma, as he continued to assault and batter the victim as she tried to escape the sexual assault. This level and length of violence is an aggravating factor.
"The Commonwealth's recommendation of nine to 12 years is a reasonable recommendation considering the violence, the trauma he inflicted."
Judge Wall did say Crosbie's "work in his community, both with his family and as a firefighter, first responder, paramedic," was a mitigating factor.
Judge Wall said, considering all the factors, Crosbie's sentence will be "not less than seven years, not more than nine years, in the Massachusetts state prison."
The sentencing comes the week after the 39-year-old married father of two was found guilty of one count of rape at the conclusion of his retrial after a mistrial was declared in June.
The charges against Crosbie were announced on March 18, 2024. Prosecutors said at the time that on Friday morning, March 15, Boston police interviewed a 28-year-old woman at Massachusetts General Hospital who told them she had been sexually assaulted at the Omni Parker House earlier that morning.
Detectives secured video surveillance from the hotel and from The Black Rose, a bar and restaurant in Boston, where both Crosbie and the victim were on the Thursday evening.
Police learned that Crosbie had flown to Boston from Ireland earlier on Thursday with other members of the Dublin Fire Brigade and that he was scheduled to leave the following Tuesday.
Crosbie was sharing a hotel room with a fellow firefighter, whom the victim said she had consensual sex with before they fell asleep in separate beds.
The victim alleged that she woke the following day to another man sexually assaulting her, later identifying that man as Crosbie.
The woman quoted Crosbie as saying, "I know you want this, he (the other man) fell asleep."
After being interviewed by police on the Saturday, Crosbie booked a flight for 10:10 pm that night, days before his scheduled departure date. At the airport, Crosbie boarded an even earlier flight, departing at around 7 pm. However, State police stopped the plane on the Logan Airport tarmac and removed Crosbie.
Police bodycam footage was shown in court of Crosbie being removed from the flight on March 16, 2024:
After the charges against Crosbie were announced last year, the Dublin Fire Brigade told IrishCentral that Crosbie had been "immediately placed on leave" and that it was conducting an internal investigation.
Before receiving his sentence on Thursday, Crosbie told the court: "Your honor, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak here today.
"I understand the seriousness of the situation. I respect you, I respect this courtroom, I respect this jury, and I respect everybody involved in this process. I have the deepest respect for this court and the legal system. I recognize the weight of this court's responsibility, and I appreciate the time and attention the court has given my case.
"I have dedicated over 18 years of my life selflessly serving the people and city of Dublin, and I hope to contribute to society again someday.
"I ask that the court take into account the large number of character references that have been submitted by my family, work colleagues, and people from both sides of the world, including the cities of Dublin, Boston, and further afield.
"Also, please consider the impact on my family, including my wonderful wife and my two beautiful young daughters, who are not only waiting at home in a different country for me, but also rely on me as the single, sole, main provider for our family and family home.
"I ask that you please take these things into consideration, Your Honour, and I thank you again for giving me the opportunity to speak here today."
According to The Boston Globe, Crosbie's victim also addressed the court before sentencing on Thursday: “My rapist has never offered an apology or any indication of regret for what he did.
“It frightens me to think someone could attack another person and never feel the need to apologize or show any sense of remorse.”
She added: “This crime has had an impact that is so much more than the moment of the attack; it’s disrupted my sense of security and self-confidence.
“In the months since, I’m working every day to rebuild my life, to regain the strength and stability I once had.”
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