GREENFIELD — A Franklin County Superior Court jury on Friday awarded a $10 million verdict, the largest in county history, to a sexual assault survivor.

Jampa Gonpo, a former Tibetan monk now in his early 50s, was employed by the victim’s father as a stonemason from 2008 to 2015. It was during this period that the victim testified that Gonpo sexually abused her repeatedly for three or four years, starting when she was 8 years old.

Gonpo was acquitted of rape and abuse charges in 2018, and Friday’s verdict was the result of a civil case.

The defendant now lives in New York.

The 22-year-old survivor, who filed her complaint as Jane Doe, lives in Connecticut, but grew up in Deerfield.

Attorney Thomas T. Merrigan represented the survivor. Attorney James M. Merrigan, Thomas’ brother, served as co-counsel. A call to defense attorney Jeffrey Brown was not returned before press time on Sunday.

“I’m very pleased with the verdict,” Thomas Merrigan said. “It’s a powerful encouragement and a victory for abused women and, for my client, it’s a complete validation of her history of abuse from this individual, and an opportunity for her to be heard and (for) the justice she deserves from a jury in Franklin County.”

Thomas Merrigan, a former judge of 12 years, said his client “is absolutely thrilled with the outcome.”

He said that, with interest, this verdict will come out to about $12 million — which is three to four times the amount of the second-largest verdict in county history.

Judge Francis Flannery presided over the case.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 262.

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