Sex Offender Arrested for Touching Barrington Teen

An East Providence resident was charged with sexually assaulting a Barrington teenager on the East Bay Bike Path on Wednesday afternoon.

According to , John Amaral, 56, of Eighth Street, allegedly grabbed the genitals of the 17-year-old boy after he started a conversation with the teenager. The victim pulled away and Amaral fled the scene in his vehicle but not before the teenager was able to record his license plate number.

East Providence detectives, along with assistance from U.S. Marshals, were able to arrest Amaral, who is a registered sex offender, on a new charge of second degree sexual assault at approximately 9 p.m. on Wednesday night at his workplace, . 

The sex offender started a conversation with the victim, and then grabbed his genitals. The victim pulled away and the suspect fled the scene in a vehicle. The victim got the plate number and it was traced back to the sex offender at 52 Eighth St. in East Providence.

Amaral is a Level Two sex offender, according to police. He was charged with molesting an eight-year-old boy in 2003. He was punished with a 10-year suspended sentence and recieved 10 years of probation. He is currently being held without bail at the ACI pending a violation hearing.