Former police chief charged with enticement of a child

Accused of soliciting an underage teenager, a Massachusetts police chief immediately placed himself on administrative leave. After a video emerged online of the police chief’s allegedly incriminating text messages, he was recently charged with enticing a child under the age of 16.

On Monday, the Stow Police Department issued the following press release: “On Saturday, April 18, 2020, representatives of the State Police met with Stow Police Chief Ralph “Rusty” Marino at the Stow Police Department. After that meeting, Chief Marino placed himself on indefinite administrative leave and named Sgt. Darren Thraen as Acting Chief. Chief Marino has been relieved of all duties.”

The police department added, “The members of the Stow Police Department are deeply disturbed, shocked and disgusted after hearing of the alleged actions of Chief Marino. We fully understand that these alleged actions, if true, may serve to undermine the trust that the Stow Police Department has worked hard to create within the Stow community. These alleged actions are outrageous in any civilized society but amplified in a small community such as Stow.

“This matter is under investigation by the Massachusetts State Police. The Stow Police Department will, of course, cooperate fully with the State Police and the Office of the District Attorney and other law enforcement and investigative agencies. We will post information related to this matter as it become available.”

On Sunday, the activist group known as Predator Poachers Massachusetts posted a video accusing then-Stow Police Chief Marino of soliciting sex acts with an activist posing as an underage boy. The video allegedly depicts incriminating text messages from Marino and an activist live-streaming his confrontation with the police chief before recording Marino’s license plate number.

A few days after Marino placed himself on indefinite administrative leave, the former police chief was charged with enticement of a child under the age of 16. He is currently scheduled to be arraigned on May 22 in Leominster District Court.