Dartmouth Police Officer arrested on child rape charges

A 37-year-old Dartmouth Police officer was arrested yesterday afternoon on charges related to an alleged rape of a child and alleged indecent assault of another child.

According to Gregg Miliote of the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office, Shawn Souza, of Dartmouth, was arrested by a Massachusetts State Trooper assigned to the Bristol County District Attorney’s office yesterday at the Dartmouth Police Station. He is charged with rape of a child by force, rape of a child-aggravated by age difference and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person under 14 years old by a mandated reporter. All incidents are alleged to have occurred in Dartmouth.

The defendant was held overnight and arraigned in New Bedford District Court late this morning. After his arraignment, he was ordered held without bail pending the results of a dangerousness hearing. The dangerousness hearing is scheduled to occur on Monday morning.

The arrest came as a result of an investigation conducted by the Bristol County District Attorney’s Special Victims Unit. After receiving a 51A report by the Department of Children and Families, Dartmouth Police officials immediately reached out to the District Attorney’s Special Victims Unit and requested that the office lead the investigation.