A Boston police detective who was sued in the past for arresting a man for recording in public was arrested himself last month for masturbating in public.
But rather than treat him as a sex offender, Boston police are saying it’s only a case of mental illness.
They just never picked up on it during Seth Richard’s 19-year career.
Now the 45-year-old cop is facing charges for open and gross lewdness and lascivious behavior after he reportedly masturbated in the parking lot of a hotel two nights in a row before he was arrested by another police agency.
According to [__Vice:__](http://www.vice.com/read/a-boston-police-detective-is-facing-charges-after-allegedly-jerking-off-naked-in-public-908)
> A passerby called local police to report that a balding white man about six feet tall was outside of Spring Hill Suites, standing next to a black SUV and pleasuring himself, according to an incident report obtained by VICE. It was just after 2:30 PM.
> This wasn’t the perp’s first rodeo. The day before, a couple saw the same person jerking off on the hood of a red Volkswagen Golf, according to a witness who works at the Spring Hill Suites. The Golf belonged to that employee, who moved his car but did not call police.
> Shortly after the call, Andover Officer Joseph Magliozzi spotted a black SUV driving quickly away from Minuteman Road, a quiet street that includes a couple other hotel franchises. When he pulled the SUV over, Magliozzi noticed the man pull up his tan pants and struggle to buckle his belt.
> The driver was Seth Richard, 45, a 19-year veteran at the Boston Police department. He had a Glock, a detective badge, and court documents beside him on the front seat. Magliozzi asked Richard where he was going, and the cop replied that he was “on the job” and on his way back from court. Magliozzi asked why Richard was traveling in the opposite direction from his home in Boxford, a suburb about a 20-minute drive away. Richard reportedly responded, “Why not?”
> Officer Stephen McNulty, a spokesperson for the Boston Police Department, tells VICE Richard was put on paid administrative leave as of August 20. He says he is unable to comment extensively on the incident in Andover, or Richard’s suspension, other to say that the department is worried about Richard’s mental health.
> “We are deeply concerned for his mental well-being and hope he gets the help he needs,” McNulty says.
In 2011, Richard arrested a man named Maury Paulino for video recording, leading to a lawsuit the following year where he received a [__$33,000 settlement.__](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDQQFjAEahUKEwj_jeDF1-jHAhULLB4KHeVRD0U&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.civil-rights-law.com%2Fblog%2F2012%2F6%2F5%2Fboston-settles-lawsuit-alleging-police-falsely-arrested-and.html&usg=AFQjCNEWaWbCvo_l1WAW451-LHYDQV8RcQ&sig2=0AaTXNaOTR4LdoRs2ZMxJQ&bvm=bv.102022582,d.cWw)
Last year, a New Jersey cop named Benito Gonzalez was arrested for masturbating in a Starbucks, [__pleading guilty earlier this year__](http://www.phillyvoice.com/officer-masturbating-starbucks-admits-lewdness/) to lewdness charges where he was required to pay $360 in fines.
He also entered a dismissal program where he will likely have the charge expunged from his record. His [__LinkedIn page__](https://www.linkedin.com/pub/benito-gonzalez/26/35/1b7) indicates that he retired after the arrest.