The accused Charlestown serial rapist who works at a New York City law firm “could get away” and “do it to somebody else,” one of his alleged victims said on Monday as the suspect was expected to be released.
Matthew Nilo, 35, of New Jersey, has been linked to a series of sexual assaults that occurred over a decade ago on Terminal Street in Charlestown, Suffolk County prosecutors allege.
On Monday, Nilo was reportedly posting bail after he was arraigned last week on three counts of aggravated rape, two counts of kidnapping, one count of assault with intent to rape, and one count of indecent assault and battery. Bail had been set at $500,000.
His attorney, Joseph Cataldo, on Monday evening said, “The posting of bail is in process and my client will be released soon.”
One of Nilo’s alleged victims showed up to Monday’s bail review hearing at Suffolk Superior Court, telling reporters that she was “upset” Nilo could post bail and walk free.
“I’ve waited so long to have my day in court with him,” the alleged victim told reporters.
“The fact that now he’s able to just go back to his life and walk around for a year, and he could get away,” she added. “And he could do it to somebody else. It’s just sad.”
During last week’s arraignment, Clerk Magistrate Edward Curley set bail at $500,000, and also ordered Nilo to wear a GPS tracker if released, surrender his passport, have no contact with the victims, and stay 1,000 feet away from Terminal Street in Charlestown unless accompanied by his attorney.
Last year, Boston Police revisited the investigation into the four Terminal Street assaults from 15 years ago. They used forensic investigative genetic genealogy, searching publicly accessible DNA databases to narrow the pool of potential suspects.
These efforts came to focus on Nilo as a person of interest, and he was placed under surveillance early this year while living in New Jersey and working at a New York City law firm.
Then FBI agents followed Nilo to a corporate event, where they obtained his utensils and drinking glasses from the event.
From one of the glasses, the Boston Police Crime Lab obtained a male DNA profile, which was found to match the suspect profile from the three Terminal Street rapes, police said.
Nilo’s attorney said he will go after the police for their DNA collection process, citing the Fourth Amendment.
“It does appear the government obtained DNA evidence from my client without a search warrant,” Cataldo said. “The constitutionality of that action will certainly and most vigorously be challenged in court.”
The lawyer added that Nilo “maintains his innocence.”
