Hopkinton sergeant didn't report child rape allegations against deputy chief, report finds

Months after child rape charges were brought against a high-ranking law enforcement officer in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, an independent investigator found that a police sergeant failed to report the allegations against him.

John "Jay" Porter, a former deputy chief of the Hopkinton Police Department, pleaded not guilty in May to three counts of child rape. He is accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in 2004 and 2005 when he was a school resource officer.

The town hired an outside investigator after learning a member of the department may have had prior knowledge of the alleged assaults and not acted.

A report obtained by the NBC10 Boston Investigators found that Hopkinton Police Sgt. Timothy Brennan spoke with the alleged victim, who disclosed the assaults as early as 2015, but Brennan never reported anything or offered services to the alleged victim even though he is a trained sexual assault investigator.

The investigation also found 11 instances where Brennan violated department policies and regulations. Brennan is currently on paid administrative leave, and his status with the POST Commission, the state's law enforcement officer oversight board, was "Not Certified – On Leave," a representative said Friday.

Porter retired after being placed on leave last year.

The Hopkinton Police Department had no comment about the report's findings. NBC10 Boston reached out to Brennan and his lawyer for a response, but has not heard back.

Porter was indicted on the child rape charges May 1. Prosecutors said he assaulted the girl in his car on two different occasions in 2004 and 2005.

Their "relationship changed during her tenth grade, going from one of a trusted adult and student to a flirtatious then sexual one," prosecutors wrote in a filing in Middlesex Superior Court.

In one incident, when the girl was excused from school early, Porter allegedly volunteered to drive her home, then began kissing her, before engaging in sexual acts. Prosecutors said he would make statements like, "this is wrong," but escalated involvement.

Later that year, after driving her home after she babysat for him, they allegedly engaged in another sex act, even after saying, "I know what we want but it can't happen," according to the court filing.

Porter's attorney said in May that the former deputy chief looks forward to challenging the accusation made against him.

"Since learning of his indictment, he has not tried to run, he has not tried to seek out anybody who could have possibly made this allegation. He has done what he continued to do for over 30 years, be a husband, be a father and, up until recently, be a public servant," defense attorney Leonardo Angiulo said.

Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673, and Massachusetts provides this list of statewide and resources for sexual assault survivors.

Porter had been with the Hopkinton Police Department since 1992, and was honored in July with by being added to the police department's 30 Years of Service Award plaque. At the time, Chief Chief Joseph Bennett raved about Porter, saying the department was "thrilled" to recognize him and all he had achieved during his 30 years with the department.

According to the post on the department's Facebook page, Porter served as a patrol officer, detective, sergeant and lieutenant before being appointed deputy chief in October 2021.

He was the department’s first school resource officer, as well as Hopkinton’s first accreditation manager, and had been selected as the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Officer of the Year four times. Additionally, Porter had served on the Massachusetts Accreditation Committee's standards and training board.