Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse and rape which some readers may find distressing.
A Massachusetts police officer and her husband have been taken into custody and charged with multiple child rape offences after an alleged victim reported the claims to authorities.
Samantha Pelrine, 31, an officer with Massachusetts law enforcement, and Daniel Forand, 37, appeared for arraignment at Plymouth District Court on Thursday (March 26).
Forand faces six counts of indecent assault and battery, 12 counts of aggravated rape of a child, and one count each of assault and battery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
Pelrine has been charged with three counts of aggravated rape of a child and one count of statutory rape.
Both defendants have entered not guilty pleas.
The Plymouth Police Department addressed the arrests in a statement shared to Facebook on Thursday.
“We are appalled and deeply disturbed by the allegations. We hold our officers to the highest of standards and expect them to uphold their sworn duty both on duty and off.
“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 police officers, to serve and protect.
“While we respect the judicial process, we remain committed to a timely and thorough internal investigation to find the facts, review available evidence, and take appropriate administrative action. Officer Pelrine’s duty status is currently under review.”
Police said the complainant, a man who is now an adult, filed a report with Massachusetts State Police in Middleborough on March 15. He alleged that he had been ‘sexually assaulted, first by Forand and then by Forand and Peline together, on numerous occasions from 2018 to 2025’.
Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz said a judge set Pelrine’s bail at $10,000 and Forand’s at $25,000. Both were reportedly released on Thursday.
In a separate post, the Plymouth Police Department stated that Pelrine began working with the department in April 2022.
The case is expected to return to court on June 8.
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via
online.rainn.org
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues or want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receives calls from throughout the United States, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico.