Boston sergeant charged with aggravated rape of a minor
Paul Downey, a Boston sergeant since 1991, is accused of raping a 14-year-old boy after contacting him via Grindr and Snapchat; bail is set at $250,000.
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Paul Downey, a veteran Boston Police Department sergeant since 1991, faces eight felony charges in Dorchester Municipal Court: four counts of aggravated rape of a child, two counts of sexual conduct with a minor for payment, and two counts of electronic solicitation of a minor for sexual activity. He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on Monday afternoon, June 30.
The initial hearing was limited by a lack of legal representation due to a public defender strike. Downey was held without bail until an attorney was available.
At Tuesday's hearing, a judge set bail at $250,000 cash, in line with the prosecution's request, given the seriousness of the charges and the defendant's income, which brought in approximately $268,000 in 2024, including overtime. The defense had requested a reduction of the fine to $40,000.
Account of the facts
According to prosecutors, Downey contacted a 14-year-old boy using the Grindr app on March 26 and moved the conversation to Snapchat, where they agreed to a $50 meeting that included oral sex, followed by a rape in a parking lot near the South Bay Mall.
The same scheme was repeated on May 11, with another meeting at the same location for $80.
The evidence presented in the investigation of the case is based on a video surveillance camera showing Downey's vehicle in the parking lot during the encounters, Snapchat digital records, including the IP address, linked to the defendant. The identification of the minor, who recognized Downey in several photos with a positive 90%, and vehicle information—a description and partial license plate number provided by the victim and verified by authorities.
The Police Commissioner, Michael Cox, he told a well-known media outlet in the city: “These charges are obviously very concerning, and our thoughts are with any alleged victims. We trust that the State Police and the Suffolk District Attorney's Office will conduct a thorough investigation. The officer was immediately placed on administrative leave.”
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