Registered sex offender charged with raping teen in cemetery

A registered sex offender is being held on $1 million bail and faces charges accusing him of raping a 14-year-old girl in a cemetery.

Charles P. Lovejoy, 31, of Lowell, was arrested Monday after officers said his car was seen leaving a cemetery in Whitman just after 1:30 a.m. Police ran the plate, discovered that Lovejoy was a registered sex offender and pulled him over for suspicious behavior.

It was then that they found the teenager in the car, police said.

Officers said they determined Lovejoy met the girl on a messaging app, picked her up from a neighboring town and drove her to the cemetery, where he sexually assaulted her.

Lovejoy was wearing a GPS monitoring device at the time of his arrest, according to police. They also seized two cell phones in his possession.

Lovejoy was charged with aggravated rape of a child, indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over and enticement of a child for sex under the age of 16.

He served two years in prison for a 2010 conviction for indecent assault and battery on a child, according to the Patriot Ledger. He remains on 5 years probation.

“This was a terrible incident involving a dangerous predator and young victim,” Chief Benton said. “I encourage all parents to have honest and meaningful conversations with their children about the potential dangers of meeting people online and internet safety.”