Child rape alleged in Templeton

Child rape alleged in Templeton Former town resident accused of assaulting girl who was younger than 10

Damien Fisher News Staff Writer TEMPLETON A Leominster man has been ordered held on $5,000 cash bail after he was charged with raping a young child in Templeton. Ryan P. Button is charged with three counts of aggravated rape, and one count of open and gross lewdness for the abuse he allegedly perpetrated on the child while he lived in Templeton between August of last year and October of this year, according to court records. The alleged victim is under the age of 10. Mr. Button was arraigned Friday on the charges in the Winchendon District Court in Gardner and was initially ordered held without bail. On Wednesday, his bail was set at $5,000 cash and he has been ordered to have no contact with the victim, the victim’s family, and be monitored by a GPS unit if he does post bail. Police went to court seeking a warrant on Nov. 13 after the abuse allegations came to light. In an interview with police, the victim reportedly said that Mr. Button wanted to keep his abuse secret. “He told her this is a secret and don’t tell anyone because if (the child) did he could get in big trouble,” Templeton Police Officer Brian Rosengren wrote in his report. One of child’s adult relatives confronted Mr. Button when the abuse allegations first surfaced, and Mr. Button reportedly admitted to abusing the child over the course of two months, according to Mr. Rosengren’s report. Mr. Button reportedly said that he was drunk when he first started to abuse the child, but after that he could not stop himself, according to the report.  The child did tell family members, who then contacted police, according to the report. By this time Mr. Button had moved to Leominster, though police had trouble initially locating him, according to the report. Mr. Button will stay at the Worcester County House of Correction in West Boylston until he posts bail. He is next due in court on Dec. 21 for a pretrial hearing.