A local limousine driver is facing child sexual abuse charges and is being held without bail after a hearing in Fall River District Court on Monday.

Jo C. Goode Herald News Staff Reporter @jgoodeHN

FALL RIVER — A local limousine driver is facing child sexual abuse charges and is being held without bail after a hearing in Fall River District Court on Monday.

Luis M. Silva, 53, of 986 Middle St., is facing charges of indecent assault and battery of a child under 14 years of age, rape of a child and sodomy. Court records indicate the alleged sexual abuse began in 2015.

Silva was arrested over the weekend after a police investigation and reportedly paid $10,000 bail. However, after appearing in a district court hearing, Silva was handcuffed and placed into custody at the South Main Street courthouse before an afternoon bail hearing.

Silva was represented by a public defender at the bail hearing. He is set to appear again in court on May 14.

According to a police report, the family of the alleged victim called police about the alleged sexual assault on May 1 and identified Silva as the suspect.

Court records indicate that after a forensic interview with the child that included the Child Advocacy Center, the Department of Children and Family and police, Silva had allegedly touched the victim inappropriately on more than one occasion, used sexual devices and showed the victim pornography on his cellphone.

The alleged victim told interviewers the incidents occurred in different areas of his Middle Street apartment and in his brown van.

A warrant was issued and police searched Silva’s apartment and van and seized a number of items including bedding and two cellphones.

Investigators indicated in a report that Silva denied the allegations made by the child, who has been known to him since a young age, and blamed a family member for coaching the alleged victim to make the allegations.

Silva allegedly admitted to watching pornography on his cellphone and performed internet searches of animal pornography.

After an hours-long interview, he was arrested and charged with the three counts of child sexual assault.

According to court records, Silva faced offenses against minors in 2004 that were dismissed without prejudice, meaning the issue could be refiled in the future.

Silva was a driver for Executive Limousine at the time and was accused of giving two young girls alcohol and showing them pornographic movies in a limousine.

One of the two girls apparently denied the allegations and the charges of obscene matter to a minor, providing liquor to a person under 21 years and enticing a child under 16.

Fall River police declined to release a photograph of Silva after his arrest, citing a state law that “ All reports of rape and sexual assault or attempts to commit such offenses....shall be maintained by the police department in a manner that shall assure their confidentiality."

Email Jo C. Goode at jgoode@heraldnews.com