Milford pastor accused of rape might be deported


By Danielle Ameden
Posted Mar 24, 2009 @ 12:21 AM

MILFORD — A Milford pastor charged with raping a child in her congregation may be deported to Brazil before her case is resolved.

Ana Paula Almeida, 31, who was arrested last month in Milford, is in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is scheduled to appear in immigration court in Boston on Thursday.

Because she is locked up by ICE, Almeida did not appear in Milford District Court as scheduled yesterday for a pretrial conference in the rape case.

She is charged with inappropriately touching and having sex with a girl over a span of two years, starting when the alleged victim was 14.

ICE spokeswoman Paula Grenier said agents took Almeida, of 13 Colonial Road, Apt. 7, into custody on March 12. She had been out on bail.

Almeida is wanted for violating immigration law, Grenier said. She did not provide further details.

"The bottom line ... is that it's up to an immigration judge to issue an order on the case," Grenier said.

On Thursday, Almeida will be arraigned, essentially, on the immigration violation charge to initiate deportation, said Elaine Komis, spokeswoman for the Executive Office for Immigration Review, an agency of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Should Almeida contest the charges for removal from the United States, the immigration case would continue, Komis said.

While Almeida is in ICE custody, the Worcester County district attorney's office could obtain a judicial writ to transfer custody, Grenier said.

Tim Connolly, spokesman for District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr., said his office has not decided how to proceed.

Almeida, who led the Plenitude of God church at 140 Main St., is charged with one count of statutory child rape and four counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older.

The victim told investigators the assaults occurred at Almeida's current home on Colonial Drive and former home at 22 Lincoln St., Apt. 1, in Milford.

Grenier said ICE has been in touch with the prosecutor and probation department about the Milford case.

Almeida is represented in district court by Framingham attorney Scott Busconi, who could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Judge David B. Locke continued Almeida's pretrial conference to May 14.

Danielle Ameden can be reached at dameden@cnc.com.


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