Congressional Candidate in Massachusetts Accused of Complicity in Sexual Assault While a Police Officer

Republican congressional candidate, Jeffrey D. Perry, in Massachusetts is facing a novel challenge — a victim of police abuse has gone public to say that Perry knew of her sexual assault by his partner in 1991 when he was a Wareham police officer. Perry is running in part on his career as a cop — using the endorsement of the Chief of Police — whom Allen was also accused of nonfeasance in the incident by the victim.

Perry is an attorney who has served in the State House since 2003.

Lisa Allen, then 14, alleged that she was assaulted near a Wareham cranberry bog. Allen and three boys were hanging around two parked cars when three police cruisers pulled up. Perry and Flanagan found a small amount of pot on one of the boys and Flanagan turned to Allen and demanded that she lift her top and bra and unbutton her pants. Allen asked to be searched by a female officer and began screaming and yelling as Flanagan put his hands inside her underwear.

She says that Perry not only refused to help her but was standing only 15 feet away.

Perry resigned from the force 17 days after Flanagan was indicted (Flanagan was convicted in 1993 of civil rights violations and indecent assault of a child). He eventually became a state representative from Sandwich and is now the Republican nominee for the 10th Congressional District.

Allen is shocked to see him running for Congress and insists that “Jeff Perry cared only about protecting police officer Flanagan.’’

In a sworn statement after the incident, Perry stated that the assault “did not occur in my presence,’’ a fact that he reportedly now states is untrue and due to a faulty memory. He was only 15 feet away.

What further enraged the family was to see Perry relying on a television ad by former Wareham police chief Thomas A. Joyce, who Allen accused of being complicit in covering up the strip search.

Source: Boston