Fall River police officer arrested in child sex trafficking sting

Crime

The officer was also allegedly found to have bags of cocaine.

Boston police arrested a Fall River police officer in connection with a child sex trafficking sting, the Fall River department announced Saturday.

On Friday, according to a Boston police report, members of the department’s Human Trafficking Unit, in conjunction with the Massachusetts State Police High-Risk Victims Unit, conducted a sting operation to address “sexual exploitation” in the neighborhoods near a gaming facility.

The report said that as part of the operation, undercover agents placed advertisements on websites targeting individuals seeking to purchase sex from trafficked victims.

At around 10:40 p.m., an undercover officer at Monument Street and Walford Way in Charlestown was contacted on a cellphone by a man who had responded to an online advertisement. The suspect, later identified as Mitchell Walsh, 28, then arrived in a gray Dodge Ram.

During previous text conversations with Walsh, the undercover officer posed as a 15-year-old, according to the report. The texts began six weeks prior.

The report redacted the texts between the undercover officer and Walsh. However, Walsh allegedly made several phone calls via FaceTime in which he discussed bringing cocaine, a bottle of Tito’s vodka, and nips. Walsh also allegedly discussed not wearing a condom during sexual intercourse.

After Walsh parked his car, investigators approached him and arrested him.

According to the report, police seized a medium-sized plastic bag with a white powdery substance believed to be cocaine, two open bags of what police believed to be cocaine, an empty pen filled with what police believed to be cocaine, a Tito’s vodka bottle, and a pack of Dr. McGillicuddy’s nips.

A call between the undercover officer and Walsh’s confirmed that the two were communicating online.

The report said police seized Walsh’s iPhone pending the issuance of a search warrant. Officers took Walsh to the Nashua Street jail for booking.

The Fall River Police Department said that Walsh was on extended leave from the department during his arrest due to “unrelated personnel matters.”

Before the arrest, the department was preparing to initiate formal proceedings under the civil service disciplinary process. Following these new “serious” developments, Walsh’s employment status is now under further review.

“The conduct alleged is reprehensible and stands in direct opposition to the values we expect from members of this Department,” Chief Kelly Furtado said in a statement. “We take these matters extremely seriously and are fully cooperating with the Boston Police Department.”

The department did not release further details because it is an active criminal investigation.