Sexual harassment, inappropriate gifts, explicit videos: Ex-Acton cops face ban after multiple allegations of misconduct

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Now Eracleo, 44, and Russell, 34, have resigned as they face disciplinary proceedings and the city wants a new state commission to strip them of their certification, which would prevent them from working in Massachusetts law enforcement.

“I am very disappointed that we have officers who would violate our policy procedures, rules and regulations and engage in this kind of conduct,” said Acton Police Chief Richard C. Burrows, who recommended Eracleo’s dismissal during of his disciplinary hearing. He planned to recommend the same for Russell, but he quit before his audition.

Eracleo, Russell and their attorney did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

The downfall of the two officers, both of whom had previously impeccable records, is in some ways a story of serendipity. The internal investigator rejected the teenager’s allegations, but along the way uncovered serious allegations from other women she believed.

However, questions remain about the teens’ initial accusations against the two officers and how the police dealt with them. When she moved to town in 2019, the Actons youth services officer even warned her colleagues that she gets angry very quickly and tends to escalate the situation.

The day before, the 17-year-old student, who attended Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, had been accused of threatening an employee of Dominos Pizza because she was offended by the price of chicken wings.

But Acton police now admit they were unaware of a crucial fact that could have helped explain her difficult behavior and uncooperativeness: she had previously been the alleged victim of sexual abuse from age 13, which resulted in criminal charges against her alleged abuser. Burrows said he learned of the case in November after receiving copies of documents from the Middlesex District Attorney’s office which had been requested by the Globe.

The teenager had adults supporting her. Acton Police learned of his allegations against Eracleo and Russell from adults who made reports on his behalf, and at least one of them corroborated some of his allegations. A woman who was traveling with the student accused Russell of grooming her and then having sex with her after she turned 18, records show.

Advocates for victims of sexual violence say suspicious and paranoid behaviors are often signs of trauma, but that doesn’t mean victims aren’t telling the truth.

When we don’t believe survivors, they become demonized and shunned, said Toni Troop, spokesperson for Jane Doe Inc., a coalition of advocacy groups. Abusers say to the victim: Who’s going to believe you?, Troop says, in general. And that often keeps people from coming forward.

The teenager initially accused Eracleo of touching himself inappropriately in front of her and said Russell groomed her for sex, but she recanted the complaints to Acton police and refused to cooperate with the Middlesex Solicitor’s Office.

She told a nurse that she withdrew her charge against Eracleo after pressuring her to do so, adding that she did not want to be part of another investigation, according to a police report from ‘State.

Burrows admits Acton investigators were unaware the teen was an alleged victim of long-term abuse. In 2019, Bristol Country prosecutors charged Timothy J. Slowey, 42, an Attleboro building contractor, with repeatedly raping her between the ages of 13 and 15, court records show. He has pleaded not guilty and is seeking unredacted copies of Actons’ reports to use in his defense.

But Burrows said knowing about the case would not have changed the way police handled the case. While his initial complaint about Eracleo was investigated by Acton Police, he said his subsequent reports were forwarded to the Middlesex Prosecutor’s Office and the internal investigator.

We respond to each case with the utmost sensitivity and sincerity, Burrows said in a statement. We made several attempts to put this person in touch with our civilian clinician and made several attempts to engage, but none were successful.

After fending off investigators in 2020, she generated complaints about her behavior, including a fight with a co-worker at their workplace and seven traffic stops in Acton, mostly for speeding, according to police reports.

Internal Affairs reports on Russell and Eracleo, which are on the Actons website with the students’ names redacted, portray her harshly.

They cite his extraordinary record of misconduct, troubled reputation and disregard for authority.

The student, now 20, declined interview requests. The Globe does not name alleged victims of sexual assault without their consent.

Because his Eracleo and Russell claims failed in 2020, the officers remained employed for at least another 20 months.

But Actons investigator Regina Ryan found other troubling issues.

She discovered that Russell had used his 2020 department-issued cell phone to record himself masturbating and take two sexually explicit photos of himself while in uniform and on duty.

She found that Russell violated department rules against conduct unbecoming and neglect of duty and city policy regarding the use of electronics.

Meanwhile, two other women accused Eracleo of misconduct earlier this year.

A licensed social worker, who started working for Acton Police in January this year, complained that Eracleo made inappropriate sexual comments to her at work, according to Ryans report.

The social worker also raised concerns about Eracleos’ cellphone communications with the student. The social worker said Eracleo told the student that I had to tell her she couldn’t send me nude photos, but photos in her bikini were okay.

Ryan discovered that Eracleo sexually harassed the social worker and exhibited poor judgment, conduct befitting an officer and violated city policy by communicating with the student on Snapchat, a app that erases messages.

Eracleo’s second accuser, who told the Globe she struggled with mental illness for many years, said Eracleo raped her and threatened her with violence.

Ryan dismissed the woman’s allegations of sexual assault and threats as unfounded, writing that she suffered from a credibility problem.

But Ryan discovered that Eracleo had violated department policy by accepting large gifts from him. The woman said she sent $3,600 in gift cards and cash home from Eracleos Westford last year.

In an interview, the woman said Eracleo told her he was struggling financially and felt suicidal, she said. The woman, who estimated she was receiving about $1,000 a month in government assistance, said she had borrowed money and used a government stimulus payment to cover donations to Eracleo.

I was a friend. I wanted to help, she said. I said it was a gift. Stupid that I am.

He’s supposed to help people like me but he took advantage of it, she said.

Eracleo and Russell were placed on paid administrative leave on March 12 of this year. They resigned in August.

For most of their Acton Police careers, Eracleo and Russell were in good standing.

In 2018, Acton presented the Employee of the Year award to Eracleo, a civil rights officer and former patrol union leader. In 2019, the department praised Russell’s performance as school resource officer in a press release.

Today, Eracleos’ legal problems may not be over.

The Middlesex DAs office said it was withholding certain Globe records because they related to an open investigation into Eracleo.

John Hilliard of Globe staff contributed to this report.

Laura Crmaldi can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @lauracrimaldi.

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