Tiverton Man, 41, Sentenced To 30 Years For Child Molestation

TIVERTON, RI — A Tiverton man will serve 30 years in prison for sexually assaulting a minor, Attorney General Peter Neronha's office said. Myles Stevenson, 41, pleaded no contest to six counts of first-degree child molestation.

According to Neronha's office, Stevenson repeatedly molested a girl younger than 14 in a South Kingstown home from 2012 to 2018.

"Unfortunately, prosecutions like this one — where a ‘trusted’ adult sexually exploits a minor child — happen far too frequently in Rhode Island," Neronha said. "There can be no doubt that such criminal conduct causes irreparable harm to victims, and their families."

The AG continued that 30 years in prison " is a long time, and in this case, given the defendant’s reprehensible conduct, every day of that long sentence is entirely deserved."

"I have great admiration for the victim, for her strength in coming forward and her willingness to see this case through to the end," Neronha said. "I am grateful to the South Kingston Police Department for their partnership in the investigation and prosecution of this significant case.”

Joel Ewing-Chow, the chief of the South Kingstown Police Department, said that "heinous crimes against children ... resonate with investigators more than most other crimes," saying he admired the victim's strength for coming forward and reporting the abuse.

In Washington County Superior Court, Stevenson was sentenced to 50 years at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston, with 30 to serve. The remaining 20 years will be served as probation. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender, complete counseling and to be subject to community supervision. The court issued a no-contact order between Stevenson and the victim.