LAWRENCE, MASS. (WHDH) - The aunt of a missing Lawrence boy whose disappearance may be connected to serial child rapist Wayne Chapman is relieved to know that he’ll remain behind bars after allegedly committing a lewd act in his jail cell.
RELATED: Serial rapist Wayne Chapman arraigned on lewdness charges following prison arrest
The 70-year-old convicted rapist was set to be released from custody after two experts concluded he was no longer “sexually dangerous” but he was arrested in prison after a nurse said he exposed and touched himself in front of her, ignoring orders to cover up and stop.
Police consider Chapman to be a strong person of interest in the disappearance of Andy Puglisi, a 10-year-old boy who vanished from a Lawrence swimming pool in 1976.
Puglisi’s aunt, Billie Scharn, is glad the new charges will keep Chapman locked up without bail.
“I feel better that he’s locked up, but I’m not 100 percent feeling OK,” Scharn said. “It’s not permanent yet.”
Scharn said Chapman’s arrest proves the two experts who said he was no longer a threat were wrong.
“They need to go back to school,” she said. “They’re not reading people right because they missed a lot.”
A court found Chapman had at least 50 victims, and Chapman has said he raped up to 100 children, records show.
Chapman was convicted in 1977 of luring two young Lawrence boys into the woods by pretending he was searching for his missing dog and then sexually assaulting them.
Lawrence Police Chief Roy Vasque says the community is happy to know Chapman will not be getting out anytime soon.
“We do have some officers that were very good friends with Andy,” Vasque said.
Gov. Baker has filed a bill that would keep repeated child rapists behind bars for life.
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