BELCHERTOWN — A Springfield man was arraigned Monday in Eastern Hampshire District Court on charges that he broke into a home in Ware and raped a woman last week.
Wilson M. Clay, 30, of 46 Leslie St. in Springfield, pleaded not guilty to charges of home invasion, aggravated rape, breaking and entering into a building during the nighttime for a felony, indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and witness intimidation. Judge Bruce Melikian presided and Clay was appointed a lawyer.
Clay was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for Aug. 31.
Ware Police Chief Shawn Crevier said Clay is alleged to have broken into a home around 5 a.m. on Aug. 19 and raped a woman who is in her 50s. Court documents in this case were impounded due to personal information, according to the court clerk’s office.
In a statement, Crevier said Clay had turned himself in to the Massachusetts State Police’s Springfield barracks on Monday and was arrested on a warrant issued by the Ware Police Department. Clay’s mother walked him into the barracks, Crevier said.
“This is an isolated incident and I would like to reassure the public, that they are safe,” Crevier said in the statement.
Michael Connors can be reached at mconnors@gazettenet.com.