Pittsfield man found guilty of rape and witness intimidation; flees to Mexico mid-trial

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Cesar Lagunas, 51, was found guilty of rape and intimidation of a witness on Wednesday by a jury in Berkshire Superior Court, even as he fled to Mexico midway through the trial.

Lagunas, formerly of Pittsfield, was convicted of sexually assaulting a person on April 15, 2019, and threatening blackmail to prevent the victim from reporting the crime. The Honorable Judge John Agostini presided over the trial and allowed it to continue in the defendant’s absence.

District Attorney Timothy Shugrue praised the victim’s perseverance. “The survivor demonstrated immense strength and resilience throughout this process,” Shugrue said in a statement.

Lagunas fled the country on Monday, November 11, two days before the verdict. A warrant for his arrest has been issued, and authorities are pursuing his extradition. The Pittsfield Police Department, the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office, New York State Police, and Homeland Security Investigations are collaborating on the case.

The investigation was led by Pittsfield police, and the case was prosecuted by Chief of the Child Abuse Unit Andrew Giarolo. Victim support was provided by Jane Kibby-Pierce, Director of Victim Witness Advocates for the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office.