Lynn man found guilty of 2022 sexual assault, home invasion in Boston, DA says

BOSTON — A Suffolk County jury found a Lynn man guilty on all charges Friday afternoon related to a horrific home invasion and rape in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood two years ago.

56-year-old Washington Pearson, who represented himself in court, was found guilty of armed assault in a dwelling, armed robbery, assault with intent to rape, indecent assault & battery, 2 counts of strangulation, larceny from a building, and armed breaking & entering during the daytime putting a person in fear.

According to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Pearson used a screwdriver to break into a Jamaica Plain apartment on October 24, 2022. Once inside, he strangled a woman in her living room until she was unconscious, raped her, then strangled her again before stealing her phone and jewelry.

After fleeing the apartment, an arrest warrant was issued for Pearson. He was eventually captured by the U.S. Marshalls in Virginia in November 2022.

“This was an extraordinarily frightening experience for the victim, and she showed great courage to come forward and tell jurors what happened in her apartment that day,” Suffolk County DA Kevin Hayden said. “Her words, along with the testimony of other witnesses and the diligent work of investigators, helped lead the jury to their verdict.”

Pearson had 197 prior entries on his criminal record dating back to 1987 at the time of the attack. Authorities say he was living in a residential reentry program in the Fenway area and had just been released from prison in July on habitual offender convictions in both Middlesex and Norfolk Counties.

Pearson will be sentenced on February 6.

The Suffolk DA’s Office would like to thank Assistant District Attorney Erin Murphy, Boston Police detectives who worked the case, and the victims and witnesses who testified at the trial for their work.

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