A Massachusetts police officer charged with raping a 13-year-old boy who was initially denied bail has had bail set at $75,000.
A Lawrence Superior Court judge said Tuesday Lawrence Officer Carlos Vieira can be freed on bail under certain conditions, but he must first account for one of 20 firearms he owns that remains missing. The rest have been confiscated by investigators.
Forty-nine-year-old Vieira, who is a 19-year veteran of the Lawrence Police Department, pleaded not guilty late February to two counts of aggravated rape of a child and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14. Prosecutors said Vieira met the child during the summer of 2018 through a social media dating app called GRINDR.
He was arrested on Feb. 25 following an investigation by the Essex DA's Office.
Officials say Vieira agreed to meet with the boy at Mount Vernon Park, where a sexual encounter allegedly took place in a dark SUV. The mother of the child reported the incident to authorities when she found out about it.
Vieira's attorney calls it all a case of mistaken identity.
The police department has placed Vieira on administrative leave.
