Salem Police Lieutenant Charged With Rape
Lt. Matthew Desmond is being held on $5,000 cash bail.
Salem Police Lt. Matthew Desmond, 41, of Salem, was arraigned Tuesday morning in Salem District Court on one count of rape.
Desmond turned himself in to Salem Police this morning, according to the Essex County District Attorney's office.
According to Essex Assistant District Attorney Kate MacDougall, Desmond allegedly digitally raped a woman known to him in his home on June 20. The alleged victim was watching the defendant’s children, her own children and the children of a mutual friend as they used the defendant’s pool.
Upon notification of the incident by the alleged victim, the Salem Police Department conducted a full investigation with the cooperation and assistance of the Essex District Attorney’s Office.
“The Salem Police Department takes any allegation against a member of the department very seriously,” Salem Police Chief Paul Tucker said in a press release from the DA's office. “Lt. Desmond has been placed on administrative leave and the matter will now move forward in the court system.”
Desmond is represented by Attorney Thomas Drechsler. Judge Allen Swan ordered that Desmond be held on $5,000 cash bail, have no contact with the alleged victim and issued a bail warning.
He is scheduled to appear in court on August 15.
Michelle King
4:03 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
I bet it is a paid administrative leave.
KlassySalem
4:50 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
The snooze reported it as such.
Heidi MilLett
5:17 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Probably!! Really sad! Can't trust anyone these days!!
Linda S.
5:32 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Rape and child abuse should be one-way tickets to prison. Castration for aggravated torture to the victim.
CarleaSkunkrawk
6:30 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Go Salem Police!
chester suchecki
6:42 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
what happened to innocent until proven guilty? no matter who it is.
john
7:33 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Thats why he's getting paid until proven otherwise.Article says he was charged not convicted
David Sanderson
7:55 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Scary and sad...UNBELIEVABLE!!
PTUX
8:18 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
If in Salem you were able to acquire an LTC-A ALP, exercising your second amendment rights, maybe there would be less of this
gene
9:28 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
How are liberal gun laws working out for Texas and Florida. Oh ya, they have the highest rates of felonies in the country.
PTUX
9:52 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
They also have more than 3.5X the population of Massachusetts, statistically speaking the increased felonies are accounted for no?
http://www.statemaster.com/graph/cri_mur_wit_fir-death-rate-per-100-000/
JuniperGin
10:23 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
PTUX, that link itself accounts for that. Per 100,000 citizens Massachusetts has 3.1 firearms deaths while Texas and Florida have around 11.
Needless to say, gun restrictions, or a lack of gun restrictions, would be absolutely useless in this case. How many citizens would be willing to exercise a second amendment right against a police officer? Once the others are called to the scene, you can be assured that the victim is going to have a bad time with the other officers seeing their friend and coworker dead.
john
10:36 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
What concerns me is that prior to this incident,Salem Police have a pretty extensive past with bad officers. I recall Capt Murphy,second in command, going down and many others over the years. We have a good police department so it's kind of puzzling.
gene
11:28 am on Wednesday, July 4, 2012
I believe you would find the percentage of bad cops (who get exposed) would be about the same for any other profession. However, most police, especially in Salem, feel they are above the law. Salem Police interpret the laws the way they want to enforce them not the way they are written. Try getting them to stop a contractor from starting work too early in the morning. You can't - maybe it interferes with their DD run.
Delia
9:20 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
It was mostly due to bad administration!
john
1:49 pm on Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Compare the police to the fire and tell me how it's about the same? Salem police do a good job and to say they think they are above the law is crazy.
Marcy Kendricks
5:03 pm on Thursday, July 5, 2012
Salem police aren't bad. You want bad, look at the crazy stuff Beverly police have been involved in.
Mark Ouimette
9:12 pm on Saturday, July 7, 2012
a relationship gone sour? or did he allegedly assault her out of the blue?
Andrea Parga
9:20 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
I've lived in Salem for the past 20 years. I even had a course a Salem State studying Criminal Justice taught by our very own Captain, Paul Tucker. I can honestly & factually say that most all of the Salem P.D. are phenomenal men & women! Don't judge a whole department based on one or two bad eggs! Especially since none of us even knows the circumstances yet! Sad but true, this country believes Guilty until proven Innocent instead of the lawful way of the reverse! Until the courts give this a fair trial, no one should comment on a persons character! Salem police work hard and our beautiful, historic city proves it!