Quincy man impersonated women online, solicited rape and torture

A Quincy man has been charged in connection to allegations he created fake internet profiles of real women then asked others to assault them and their families.

On Thursday, Thomas Sheehan, 46, was indicted after police said he impersonated three women from across the state on an adult website and communicated with other users who were interested in raping, stalking and torturing them and their children, NECN reported.

“The defendant allegedly put the lives of multiple women and their children at risk by using a website and a phony profile to commit acts of violence,” Attorney General Maura Healey said in a statement quoted by NECN.

In at least one case, Sheehan allegedly posted a woman’s photo, name and address on the site and, while pretending to be her, told others that he wanted to be raped and tortured, The Associated Press reported. That woman was someone whom Sheehan had not communicated with in years.

“This was a deeply disturbing case that could have had tragic results,” Deputy Groveland Police Chief Jeffrey Gillen said to NECN.

Sheehan was charged with multiple counts of solicitation to commit rape, solicitation to commit rape of a child, solicitation to commit kidnapping and two counts of wanton or reckless behavior creating a risk of serious bodily injury, the AP stated.

The website Sheehan used was not named, and the false profiles have been taken down, according to NECN. Sheehan was being held on a $50,000 cash bail.

A lawyer for Sheehan said his client was just role-playing online, the AP added.