Southington man gets 20 years in prison on rape charges

April 2, 2008 at 1:55p.m.

WARREN — A 47-year-old Southington man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for multiple rapes of a young family member.

Louis Ponzi Jr. pleaded guilty today to 13 counts of rape and one count of gross sexual imposition. He was sentenced by Judge W. Wyatt McKay of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

Two of the rape counts carried life sentences, but Diane Barber, an assistant county prosecutor, sought reduction of the life terms in exchange for Ponzi’s plea.

Barber said Ponzi had sexual contact with the girl family member from 2000 to April 2007. She said the girl told her mother about the sexual activity and the mother contacted police. The girl is now 17.

Barber said that when Ponzi is released from prison, he will be required to register every 90 days with the sheriff’s department as a sex offender in the county where he lives.