Framingham Man Not Guilty of Child Rape, Molestation Charges

WOBURN, MA -- Donald Gladu wiped away tears of relief after a Middlesex Superior Court jury on Thursday found him not guilty of raping and molesting a young girl over a period of eight years.

After a week-long trial and two days of deliberations, the jury found the 61-year-old Framingham man not guilty of four counts of rape of a child with force and indecent assault and battery on a child.

Overcome with emotion after the verdict was read, Gladu, a longtime Wayland Department of Public Works foreman, just nodded his head when asked if he was relieved by the verdict.

Gladu's attorney, John Swomley, praised the jury for "taking a hard look at this case'' and rendering a just verdict.

Neither the victim nor her family was in court to hear the verdict.

During the trial, prosecutor Rachel Perlman told the jury that the alleged victim, now 23, endured about eight years of alleged sexual assaults by Gladu, formerly of Natick, starting when she was about 5. Gladu would allegedly molest her while she lay in her bunk bed at night, Perlman alleges.

Gladu allegedly grew bolder by assaulting the girl in his living room, on his favorite chair and in his bed in locations in Natick and Acton, Perlman said.

The alleged victim disclosed the alleged abuse several years ago and Gladu was indicted in 2015 after the alleged victim's family circumstances changed.

But in his closing arguments, Swomley accused the alleged victim of being "angry and hurt" after learning a family secret, and lashing out at Gladu with false accusations.

"She lies,'' Swomley told the jury his closing argument. "She lies a lie she can't take back,'' he said of the sexual assault allegations.

In her closing arguments, Perlman asked the jury t: "Why would she make this up? She had nothing to gain by falsely accusing him (Gladu) and everything to lose.''

Photos of Donald Gladu by Lisa Redmond/lisa.redmond@patch.com