Pawtucket man sentenced to 17 years for child molestation

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A Pawtucket man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for multiple counts of child molestation.

On September 2, 2025, Superior Court Justice Joseph A. Montalbano sentenced Jose Perez Ayala, 49, to 40 years with 17 years to serve at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) and 40 years of probation.

The court also imposed a no-contact order with the victim, required Ayala to register as a sex offender, attend counseling, and remain under community supervision.

A jury convicted Ayala on June 13, 2025, of one count of first-degree child molestation and three counts of second-degree child molestation. Prosecutors said that between 2011 and 2015, Ayala sexually assaulted a juvenile female known to him.

Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves praised the outcome, saying, “Because of this victim’s courage, we have held this perpetrator accountable, and he will serve a significant sentence.”

The R.I. Department of Corrections website lists his “Good Time Release Date” as April 27, 2042.