Jury finds Winthrop man guilty of raping 78-year-old woman

WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) - A Winthrop man has been found guilty of raping a 78-year-old woman.

A St. Lawrence County Court jury convicted 22-year-old Mason Stone on Friday following a 2-week trial.

He was found guilty of first-degree rape and second-degree assault as a sexually motivated felony.

On the night of June 21, 2022, Stone physically attacked and sexually assaulted the woman inside her home. The victim was injured during the attack and was taken to the hospital.

She underwent an examination to collect biological evidence. DNA found on the victim was matched to Stone.

“This defendant perpetuated a horrific sexual assault upon a vulnerable senior citizen. He then attempted to excuse his actions by claiming he was too intoxicated to commit this crime. The jury quickly saw through his insulting attempt to avoid consequences for his actions. Hopefully, this jury’s verdict, and the defendant’s subsequent sentencing, will send a message to anyone in our community who thinks it is ever okay to force themselves onto another person. I commend the bravery and courage of the victim to come forward and testify in this case,” said District Attorney Gary Pasqua in a news release.

Stone faces 8 to 25 years in prison when he’s sentenced on July 10.