Former Hopkinton deputy police chief convicted of child rape
Former Hopkinton Deputy Chief of Police John "Jay" Porter has been convicted of three charges of rape of a child. He assaulted the student while he was a school resource officer in the town's school system, the Middlesex District Attorney said.
The incidents occurred during 2004 and 2005 when the victim was a 15-year-old student at Hopkinton High School. According to the district attorney, Porter assaulted the victim on multiple occasions off school property.
"Abused his position of power"
"The defendant in this case abused his position of power to take advantage of and manipulate a child to gain her trust before sexually assaulting her on multiple occasions," said District Attorney Marian Ryan.
Investigators said during ninth and tenth grade, the victim would often go see Porter for support. "That relationship changed during tenth grade, going from one of a trusted adult and student to a flirtatious then sexual one," the district attorney said.
One assault occurred after the victim was excused early from school, and Porter volunteered to drive her home. Later that year, the student was babysitting at Porter's Hopedale home, and he assaulted her when he drove her home to Hopkinton, the district attorney said.
Porter was placed on leave from the police department in August of 2022 and indicted on three counts of child rape in the spring of 2023.
He was promoted to deputy chief in the fall of 2021 and had been with the Hopkinton Police Department for more than 30 years.
Porter is scheduled to be sentenced on June 18.
