News Summary
A Boston Police Department sergeant, Paul Downey, has been indicted on serious charges including aggravated rape of a minor and paying for sex with a minor. Allegations stem from encounters with a 14-year-old boy met via Grindr. The investigation revealed continued solicitations and subsequent arrests, raising concerns about law enforcement accountability. Downey is currently held on a substantial bail while the case unfolds.
Boston – A 58-year-old sergeant with the Boston Police Department, Paul Downey, has been indicted on multiple charges, including four counts of aggravated rape of a minor and two counts of paying for sex with a minor. In addition, he faces two counts of enticement of a child for commercial sex. The indictment comes after allegations that he engaged in sexual acts with a 14-year-old boy whom he met on the dating app Grindr.
The alleged incidents began on March 26, when Downey reportedly connected with the victim on Grindr. After their initial interaction, the two continued their communications via Snapchat. Law enforcement details indicate that during these exchanges, Downey offered $30 for oral sex.
According to prosecutors, on the same day they first met, Downey arranged to pick up the victim and transported him to a parking lot near the South Bay mall. It is alleged that he raped the minor there and subsequently paid him $50. Over the next two months, Downey allegedly continued to contact the victim for further sexual encounters and on May 11, he solicited the victim again, this time negotiating a payment of $80 for the encounter.
The investigation escalated when the victim memorized part of Downey’s vehicle license plate number, which he provided to investigators. The victim was able to describe Downey and his car to the police, aiding authorities in tracing the Snapchat account back to Downey using communication logs. Moreover, a vehicle matching the victim’s description was observed parked at the Boston Police headquarters.
In a significant development, the victim was presented with a photo array by investigators, from which he identified Downey with a 90 percent certainty. Following these findings, Downey was initially held without bail while awaiting his arraignment. However, prosecutors filed a bail request of $250,000 cash, citing the serious nature of the allegations against him. The judge agreed to this request.
Financially, Downey earned more than $268,000 in the previous year, including $110,000 in overtime, raising concerns about his potential as a flight risk if released. In light of the charges, the Boston Police Department placed Downey on administrative leave pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.
Downey is currently scheduled to return to court on July 29, as authorities continue to gather information regarding this case. The community is reacting to the serious nature of the allegations, particularly given Downey’s position within the police department.
These events have brought further scrutiny on how law enforcement handles such cases involving their own personnel. The public is encouraged to remain informed as more details emerge regarding this troubling situation.
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Additional Resources
- Boston.com: Boston Police Sergeant Charged with Child Rape
- Wikipedia: Child Sexual Abuse
- NBC Boston: Former Boston Police Sergeant Charged
- Google Search: Boston Police Department
- Boston Globe: Boston Police Paul Downey Child Rape
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Child Abuse
- Boston Herald: Boston Police Sergeant Charged with Rape
- Google News: Police Misconduct
