(Greenfield, MA) According to the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office, Ethan Hatch, 20 years old from Northfield, has been sentenced today to two years in state prison and three years of probation after a jury convicted him on three counts of rape and one count of strangulation.

The incident occurred in September of 2022 when Hatch met the victim at a party, and later drove her home and strangled her. The jury deliberated for four hours before convicting Hatch.

“The survivor showed tremendous courage coming forward and testifying in Court,” said Northwestern Assistant District Attorney Andrew Covington, who prosecuted the case. “The Commonwealth and the victim are pleased the defendant was held accountable for his actions and is heading to state prison.”

From the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office:

A Superior Court judge today sentenced Ethan Hatch, 20, of Northfield to serve two years in state prison and three years of probation following his November 16, 2023 conviction for three counts of rape and one count of strangulation.

Hatch was convicted by a Franklin Superior Court jury after a three-day trial and four hours of deliberations. The crimes occurred in September 2022, when the defendant met the victim at a party, drove her back to his residence where he raped and strangled her. The victim testified during trial, as did 10 other witnesses called by the Commonwealth.

“The survivor showed tremendous courage coming forward and testifying in Court,” said Northwestern Assistant District Attorney Andrew Covington, who prosecuted the case. “The Commonwealth and the victim are pleased the defendant was held accountable for his actions and is heading to state prison.”

Covington asked Superior Court Justice Karen Goodwin to sentence Hatch to 5 to 7 years in state prison, followed by three years of probation. Defense attorney Kris Patria of Fitchburg asked the Court to sentence Hatch to five years of probation. The Massachusetts Sentencing Guidelines recommended a sentence between 5 and 7 1⁄2 years in state prison. The Court imposed a sentence below the Guidelines, sending Hatch to state prison for two years after which he will be on supervised probation for three years. Conditions of his probation will include registering as a sex offender, engaging in sex offender treatment, providing a DNA sample, and abstaining from alcohol with testing.