Massachusetts State Police suspended two troopers, Ryan Costello and Robert Branca, with pay on Thursday in connection to the alleged rape at the state trooper temporary housing in Oak Bluffs in August.
The suspensions are tied to ongoing criminal investigations and an internal affairs probe into the alleged rape of a woman by Edward Joseph Brown, 27, who prosecutors said was visiting Costello at the time of the incident. The incident took place in temporary housing units provided for a small number of troopers on seasonal assignments on-Island. The units are located in a separate structure from the State Police barracks on Temahigan Avenue and are currently vacant, according to a statement from State Police Media Relations Director Greg Turner.
Brown, an assistant security administrator at Boston Latin Academy who has since been placed on administrative leave, was arraigned for the incident on Oct. 13 in Edgartown District Court on a felony rape charge and pleaded not guilty. He was released after posting a $10,000 bail and was ordered to stay away and have no contact with the alleged victim or any potential witnesses. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Dec. 11.
Assistant District Attorney Courtney Scalice said at the arraignment that Costello confirmed he knew Brown from college, that Brown visited the weekend of Aug. 15 and stayed at the barracks, and that the two went to the Ritz Café on Aug. 14, though there was a period that night when Costello didn’t know where Brown was. In an interview with the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office, Costello said he left the Ritz before Brown and returned to the barracks between 1:30 and 2 a.m., where he found Brown alone and unusually quiet. Text messages provided by Costello’s attorney showed Brown telling him he was with a woman and had gone to Costello’s roommate’s room for condoms.
Branca wasn’t mentioned at the arraignment, but, according to his LinkedIn profile, he’s been a trooper since 2004.
Oak Bluffs Police responded to 911 calls at 12:57 a.m. on Aug. 15 about a distressed, naked woman on the side of the road near the barracks, according to prosecutors at the arraignment. She was taken to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, where a nurse examiner administered a sexual assault kit.
After the incident, State Police Col. Geoffrey Noble prohibited overnight guests at the temporary housing units. He also ordered a policy that requires prior written approval from the barracks commander for visitors to enter non-public areas of the property, and that visitors remain accompanied at all times.
The department said it has fully cooperated with the criminal investigation, conducted by Oak Bluffs Police, and that the internal affairs investigation remains open and active.
“These allegations are deeply troubling,” Noble said in a statement shared with The Times on Friday. “The Massachusetts State Police are fully cooperating with the ongoing criminal investigation and conducting an internal review of applicable policies, visitor authorization procedures and compliance with established requirements. I am committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety, security and accountability at all State Police facilities and ensuring that any identified deficiencies are addressed with appropriate corrective action.”
