Former New Bedford Police Officer Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison

FALL RIVER - An ex-New Bedford police officer has been sentenced in Fall River Superior Court today.

The Bristol County District Attorney's Office says Jean Gomes was sentenced to ten years after being found guilty last month of inappropriately touching a child.

Gomes, 60, stepped down from the New Bedford Police Department in January of 2015 after being indicted by a Bristol County Grand Jury on three charges of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 by a mandated reporter. Gomes was convicted on only one of those counts.

The accusations were brought up by a then ten year old girl who said Gomes inappropriately touched her in her home several times.

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn III released the following statement on Gomes' sentencing:

I want to thank the jury for holding the defendant accountable for this very serious offense. The defendant violated the trust placed in him as a police officer, and took advantage of his relationship with the victim and her mother. I want to commend the victim for her courage in coming forward and testifying under very difficult circumstances. The fact that the defendant was a police officer is an aggravating factor in the sentence imposed by the court. However, the focus should be on Jean Gomes' conduct as an individual. I would like to thank Assistant District Attorneys Silvia Rudman and Jennifer Thompson for their efforts in prosecuting this difficult case.