A US airman Paedophile, Dennis Rocha, was jailed last year in 2023 for raping a 12-year-old autistic girl he met on Snapchat while stationed at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk.
Despite being aware of the victim’s age, Dennis Rocha, who is 19 years old, engaged in a sexually explicit conversation and made plans to meet and pick her up the next day. In April of this year, he travelled 140 miles from his starting point at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk to meet the victim in Wiltshire.
Dennis Rocha, residing in Beck Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk, retrieved the girl from her residence and transported her to an isolated location, where they engaged in sexual intercourse inside his vehicle.
The Swindon Crown Court was informed that the sexual activity was consensual and did not involve any use of force.
During that period, the girl expressed to the police that she experienced remorse and harboured feelings of anger towards herself. According to her mother, her daughter was diagnosed with autism at the age of four and continues to face difficulties in managing the condition.
Dennis Rocha, an 18-year-old US airman, has been incarcerated for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl with autism whom he encountered on Snapchat while stationed in the United Kingdom.
According to her, her daughter has challenges communicating, displays reluctance to engage with unfamiliar individuals, struggles to establish eye contact, lacks social interaction with peers, and faces difficulty adapting to conventional educational settings.
The girl expressed remorse to the police, acknowledging that her actions had impacted others, especially her mother. She revealed that her mother had desired for her to be of a more mature age and in a romantic relationship when she experienced the loss of her virginity.
Dennis Rocha received a prison sentence of six years and eight months, along with an additional one-year period of supervised release, for committing two acts of child rape with a victim under the age of 13.
According to Chris Smyth, the prosecutor, the duo engaged in sexual intercourse multiple times during the approximately one-hour session. During one instance, the condom became dislodged.
According to the victim’s statement given to the police, she expressed concerns about a potential pregnancy and her inability to confirm it until the following week.
They were imposing a punishment or penalty for a crime committed. Judge James Townsend stated that the individual had sufficient chances to reconsider their actions. Nevertheless, they chose to continue.
‘You knew she was significantly younger than you and susceptible.’ Given her young age, the fact that she consented to the situation does not serve as a mitigating factor.
The defendant received an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and is required to register as a sex offender upon release. Additionally, he was included in the DBS prohibited list.
According to defence attorney Sam Jones, multiple character references presented to the court portrayed the Californian US Air Force airman as a ‘kind-hearted and sensitive young man’.
“The realisation of what he had done only sank in when he returned to base,” he claimed.
Dennis Rocha, 18, received a sentence of six years and eight months jail at Swindon Crown Court yesterday.
He stated that Dennis Rocha is sincerely regretful for his acts and informed Judge Townsend that the fact his victim willingly participated in the sexual activities was somewhat important.
Mr Jones requested that the court consider his client’s youth, lack of experience, innocence, and immaturity, as well as his lack of sexual knowledge and the isolation he felt being away from home.
Speaking via video link from Bullingdon Prison, Dennis Rocha expressed his sincere apologies to the court, the family affected, and any other individuals who were harmed because of the incident.
‘I deeply regret this occurrence… and I sincerely apologise; I hope you may grant me forgiveness and show me pity.’
The investigating officer is Detective Constable (DC). Amanda Lord, from the Child Abuse Investigation Team, stated that Rocha initiated this interaction with the girl despite being aware of her juvenile status.
‘He knew his actions were unlawful and had enough chances to stop communicating with the victim. Nevertheless, he persisted and used her for his benefit.’
‘We consider acts of this nature with utmost seriousness and are committed to safeguarding children from predators like Dennis Rocha. Our priority is to ensure that individuals who commit sexual offences are brought to justice through legal proceedings.’
‘I would also like to praise the victim for her bravery and courage in communicating with us.’
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.