Massachusetts State Police Trooper Terence Kent in Middlesex Superior Court, in Woburn, Massachusetts, to face charges of bribery and indecent assault and battery on Thursday, March 13, 2025.
A Massachusetts State Police trooper appeared in court and pleaded not guilty Thursday after being accused of proposing that he not have a driver's car towed in Boston in exchange for a sex act.
Trooper Terence Kent was arraigned on charges, brought by a grand jury, of bribery and indecent assault and battery in Middlesex Superior Court over an incident that allegedly took place in August.
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Beyond that the incident was reported a couple of months after it allegedly took place, no new details were revealed about the case in court, where the judge agreed with prosecutors' proposal that he be released without bail, on condition that he not have contact with the alleged victim.
Kent's next court date will be set at a subsequent hearing, in April. He was represented by David Yannetti, a prominent attorney who's been representing Karen Read in her high-profile murder trial.
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On Friday, Kent was suspended by the state's POST Commission, which certifies police officers in the state, meaning he can't serve as a police officer in Massachusetts unless he's recertified or he wins an appeal.
He was told to surrender to state police "any agency-issued credentials and equipment that promote and support the performance of functions associated with service as a law enforcement officer, including but not limited to, any uniform, badge, firearm, assigned cruiser, and use-of-force instruments, such as tasers," the order said.
Kent was suspended without pay in November over what a state police representative said at the were "serious allegations" following accusations of sexual misconduct. Details about the allegations against Kent weren't revealed at the time.
But on Tuesday, the Middlesex District Attorney's Office and Lexington police shared that Kent was indicted by a grand jury on charges of bribery and indecent assault over an allegations from Aug. 24. That's when Kent allegedly blocked a driver from leaving their parking spot on Soldiers Field Road in Brighton.
The driver asked Kent to move, but the trooper told him his registration and insurance had expired, meaning his vehicle needed to be towed, authorities said. The driver had concerns, so allegedly Kent proposed they meet him at a Lexington Department of Transportation facility where they could perform a sexual favor in exchange for not towing the vehicle.
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.
Officials didn't share what happened after that, or how they were informed of the incident.
"The defendant in this case allegedly used his position of power as a sworn police officer to commit a sexual assault. These allegations, if true, are a blatant violation of the public trust and his obligation to uphold high ethical standards and the values of the community. Today’s indictment is a reflection of our continued commitment to the highest level of accountability and transparency when it comes to those entrusted to protect public safety," District Attorney Marian Ryan said in a statement.
The date for Kent's arraignment in Middlesex Superior Court has not yet been set, according to prosecutors.
When Kent was first suspended, a police representative shared a statement noting the department was committed to cooperating with investigators and that, “The Massachusetts State Police does not tolerate any form of sexual misconduct, and we hold our members accountable to the highest professional standards."
Kent, who graduated from the state police academy in August 2017, was also suspended in 2023 after an internal affairs investigation showed he abandoned an assigned post.
