One of the more disturbing chapters of the Boston Police Department’s recent history has seemingly come to a close, with a disgraced lieutenant sentenced to between four and six years in prison. The defendant had previously confessed to sexually abusing his own foster child before pleading not guilty and then finally agreeing to a deal made with prosecutors. Did this police officer receive special treatment for sex crimes in Boston?
Officer's Change of Plea
A police officer in Boston decided to plead guilty before his criminal trial for child rape, thereby avoiding a potential sentence of up to life in prison. The charges stem from a series of child abuse incidents that occurred in the defendant’s home from 2022 to 2023. The victim was the defendant’s foster child, and she was 10 and 11 when the abuse occurred. The final act occurred around Christmas, and the victim subsequently reported the abuse to an adult.
The defendant’s wife subsequently discovered the abuse and confronted him, causing him to confess for the first time. The defendant then became psychologically unstable and visited his family’s graves at a nearby cemetery. Concerned, a family member reported the defendant’s behavior to the Police Chief – whose brother (a sergeant) confronted the defendant and seemingly convinced him not to commit suicide.
After this confrontation, the defendant was taken to a nearby hospital for psychological evaluation. He then confessed his offenses to numerous people. Before the trial, he changed his plea to guilty and accepted a deal offered by prosecutors. As a result of this deal, the defendant will spend a maximum of six years in prison.
Did this Police Lieutenant Receive Special Treatment?
One has to wonder whether an average citizen would have received the same deal from prosecutors after such a heinous act of child abuse. According to one report, the defendant had nonconsensual oral sex with the child – who was not even 12 at the time. This charge alone carries a potential life sentence, and the defendant also faced a slew of related charges.
Also in November of 2024, a man in West Springfield was sentenced to a maximum of 12 years for child rape after the jury found him guilty It is also worth noting that a former police officer in Dartmouth received a 15-year sentence for child rape charges just one month ago. The sticking point in plea negotiations on child rape cases is that, depending on the charge, the mandatory minimum can be as much as 10 years. Therefore, in cases with solid evidence like a confession, any offer by the Commonwealth for a sentence of below 10 years is only available with the Commonwealth's consent to reduce the charges. Prosecutors know this, and they know that as long as their sentence recomendation involves a reduction below 10 years they can usually get all but the most hard-headed of defendant's to take the deal. That is the reason that many child sex offenders end up with sentences on the order of 9 years, and why a sentence of 4 years in this case is uncommonly low.
Find an Experienced Defense Attorney in Boston
Sexual assault charges are extremely complicated, and extremely serious. Even a police officer, with all the connections and deference that Courts give police officers, still recieved a committed state prison sentence. Other people, like the defendants in West Springfield and Dartmouth, routinely recieve senences of 10 years or more. If you or someone you know is facing the prospect of a sexual assault charge, book a consultation with an experienced Boston defense attorney today to get started with a defense strategy.