Carlos Rivera Sentenced To More Than 20 Years In Prison In Death Of 13-Year-Old Chloe Ricard In Lawrence
SALEM (CBS) - A Lawrence man charged with giving cocaine to a 13-year-old Chloe Ricard and dropping her off at a hospital where she died was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison Friday.
Carlos Rivera, 49, pleaded guilty to all 19 charges in the 2019 case including involuntary manslaughter, aggravated rape of a child, rape, indecent assault and battery and distribution of cocaine to a minor.
Ricard's family was in Salem Superior Court for the guilty plea and sentencing.
Police said Rivera was with Ricard and other teenage girls at his apartment the evening of May 19, 2019 and most of the following day. He was charged with indecently assaulting the 13-year-old and another 16-year-old girl there. Investigators said Rivera also gave cocaine to Ricard before dropping her off at Lawrence General Hospital where she died. The Essex District Attorney's Office said Ricard also had fentanyl in her system. Rivera was arrested five days later.
"Today, justice was served for my daughter. I am very happy how it went down. I am grateful he did admit his guilt," Deborah Goldsmith, Ricard's mother told reporters outside of court. "I would have loved a life sentence, but it didn't happen."
Once Rivera serves his sentence, he will be released on ten years probation, will have to register as a sex offender and will not be allowed to have unsupervised contact with anyone under age 18.