Providence Man Sentenced For Raping Woman At Coventry House Party

COVENTRY, RI — A Providence man was sentenced last week to 13 years in state prison after prosecutors proved he raped a woman at a house party in Coventry in 2020.

On Friday, Superior Court Justice Luis Matos sentenced Austin Davis, 29, after he was found guilty in October 2023 of first-degree sexual assault.

"Many sexual assault victims suffer in silence, and it is my hope that each time an offender is held accountable for this terrible crime, it signals to other victims that justice is possible in these often-complex cases," Attorney General Peter Neronha said in a news release Tuesday. "I’m grateful to the Coventry Police Department, as well as the prosecutor and investigative teams, for their outstanding work in this case and many others."

During the four-day trial, prosecutors proved that on Oct. 16, 2020, Davis raped a woman at a house party. At the party, Davis has sex with his victim while she was incapacitated. The victim reported the sexual assault to Kent Hospital in Warwick two days later. An investigation by Coventry police matched DNA results from the victim’s sexual assault exam with Davis.

"This victim's bravery in coming forward helped us hold her attacker responsible, allowing justice to be served," Coventry Police Chief Frederick Heise said. "I want to thank Detective Pacheco and our partners at the RI Attorney General’s Office for their investigation and prosecutorial work."

Following Davis' prison sentence, he must serve 20 years of probation. The court also issued a no-contact order between Davis and his victim.

Davis must also register as a sex offender, attend sex offender counseling, and is subject to community supervision requirements under state law.

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