Massachusetts Police Officer and Husband Arrested on Child Rape Charges
A female police officer in Massachusetts, recently suspended from duty, has been arrested alongside her husband and charged with the aggravated rape of a child. The shocking allegations involve the repeated sexual assault of a boy, beginning when he was just 14 years old.
Details of the Arrest and Charges
Plymouth Police Officer Samantha Pelrine, aged 31, and her husband, Daniel Forand, 37, were taken into custody at their residence on Thursday. According to court documents cited by the Boston Herald, the couple is accused of raping a boy multiple times over a period of years.
Pelrine faces three felony counts of aggravated child rape with force and one count of aggravated statutory rape of a child. Forand has been charged with 20 offenses, including rape of a child, indecent assault and battery on a person aged 14 or over, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. The alleged crimes are said to have occurred from 2018 to 2025, as reported by the accuser.
Court Proceedings and Bail
Following their arrest, the couple pleaded not guilty during their arraignment at Plymouth District Court. Cash bail was set at $10,000 for Pelrine and $25,000 for Forand, both of which they posted. Defense attorneys for Pelrine and Forand declined to comment after the court proceeding.
Pelrine was recently placed on paid administrative leave on March 17, after the alleged victim disclosed the sexual abuse accusations in a handwritten affidavit, according to the New York Post.
Police Department Response
The Plymouth Police Department issued a statement expressing deep concern over the allegations. We are appalled and deeply disturbed by the allegations, the department said. We hold our officers to the highest of standards and expect them to uphold their sworn duty both on duty and off.
The statement continued, Our primary mission is to safeguard the public's trust and uphold the law. We value human life, fairness, integrity, accountability, and professionalism. The conduct alleged is in violation of our values and of our basic principles as a police officer to serve and protect.
Background of the Alleged Victim
The accuser, now in his twenties, stated in an affidavit cited by the Boston Globe that he was raised by his grandmother and aunt until age 12. He was then handed over to his aunt's church friends Daniel Forand and Samantha Pelrine. After a year, the couple became his legal guardians, and the alleged abuse began shortly thereafter, continuing until 2025.
Shortly after they became my guardians, they both sexually assaulted me until 2025 and physically assaulted me until 2026, the alleged victim wrote. He claimed that only Forand physically assaulted him. The accuser moved out of the couple's home in Plymouth in February.
Legal Arguments and Defense
During the arraignment, Jim Duffy, Plymouth Assistant District Attorney, described the allegations as involving grooming, with sexual abuse starting when the victim was 14 and continuing until last year. Pelrine was pictured crying in court, where she pleaded not guilty.
Forand's attorney argued that the accuser is a troubled young man who made the allegations after the couple told him he needed to move out. Pelrine's attorney, Joseph Krowski Jr., asserted that the alleged victim had previously made a false accusation of sexual assault against another person while in high school, according to CBS News.
Next Steps in the Case
The officer and Forand are scheduled to return to court on June 8 for a probable cause hearing. The Daily Mail has reached out to the attorneys for Pelrine and Forand for further comment, but no additional statements have been released at this time.
