Massachusetts State Police suspended two troopers with pay on Thursday, October 22, 2026, in connection with an alleged rape in August at trooper housing beside the Oak Bluffs barracks on Martha’s Vineyard. A state police spokesperson identified the troopers as Ryan Costello and Robert Branca, WCVB and NBC10 Boston reported. Neither trooper has been charged with a crime. State Police have not said why they were suspended or how they are connected to the case.
The man charged is Edward J. Brown, 27, of Boston, a Boston Public Schools security official who was visiting a trooper that weekend. He pleaded not guilty to rape at his October 13 arraignment in Edgartown District Court and is presumed innocent. Here is what prosecutors have said in court, what the suspensions mean, and what comes next.
The suspensions
- With pay. Both troopers were suspended with pay, according to State Police as reported by WCVB, NBC10 and 7News. NBC10 reported that the incident remains the subject of a criminal investigation and a State Police internal affairs investigation.
- The connection. MV Times reported that, according to the prosecutor at Brown’s arraignment, Brown was on Martha’s Vineyard to visit Costello, who was assigned to the island for the summer. WCVB reported that, according to court documents, Brown was staying with Costello, a friend from college. No outlet has reported how Branca is connected, and 7News reported that investigators have not said how either trooper is connected.
- New rules. Col. Geoffrey Noble has banned overnight guests at the temporary housing units used by troopers on seasonal assignments on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. He also ordered a written policy requiring the barracks commander’s prior written approval before visitors enter non-public areas of State Police property, where they must stay accompanied. “These allegations are deeply troubling,” Noble said in a statement reported by WCVB and NBC10.
State Police said the alleged assault happened in temporary housing for a small number of troopers assigned to the island for the summer, in a structure separate from the barracks itself, NBC10 reported.
What prosecutors said at the arraignment
MV Times obtained a recording of the October 13 hearing, and NBC10 and WCVB also reported on the allegations. These are the Commonwealth’s allegations, which Brown denies:
- August 15. Two 911 callers reported a “distressed female, naked, on the side of the road” near the barracks at 12:57 a.m., according to the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office as quoted by MV Times. She was taken to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
- Her account. NBC10 reported that she told investigators Brown grabbed her and tried to buy her a drink at a bar, and that the next thing she remembered was waking up naked with Brown on top of her. She then ran down two flights of stairs and was found outside. MV Times reported that the prosecutor said she described being raped while she was kicking and screaming.
- The ride. According to MV Times, the prosecutor said surveillance video showed a man in a white cap approach her, and the two got into an Uber. Police found a ride ending at the barracks at about 12:27 a.m. on Brown’s account. The driver said the man did not appear intoxicated and the woman appeared very intoxicated.
- The texts. Prosecutors said that around September 11, Costello’s lawyer gave the Commonwealth screenshots of texts between Costello and Brown from that night and the next day. “Prior to Sept. 11, 2026, these messages had never been provided to any member of law enforcement investigating the alleged rape,” the prosecution said, according to WCVB. MV Times reported that in the texts, Brown said he was with a woman, that she was too drunk and needed an Uber, and that when he came back from the bathroom she was gone. Prosecutors also pointed to an hour-long gap in the texts. MV Times reported that Costello told investigators the gap came when he talked with Brown in person.
- Evidence still missing. Police searched the barracks on September 1 for the woman’s clothing and phone. As of October 13, neither had been found, according to MV Times.
The prosecutor also told the court that Boston police had located reports from two of Brown’s former girlfriends, both of whom obtained restraining orders against him, MV Times reported. Brown has not been charged in connection with those reports.
The defense
Brown’s lawyer, Anthony Ellison, said his client maintains his innocence, NBC10 reported. At the arraignment, according to MV Times, Ellison argued that Brown was not a flight risk, that the woman does not want to pursue charges and has given various accounts, and that her friends described her as “very friendly” with Brown. He said the results of the sexual assault examination kit are not yet known. A spokesperson for the district attorney’s office told MV Times that the office remains in ongoing communication with her.
Judge Benjamin Barnes set $10,000 cash bail. He ordered Brown to stay away from and have no contact with the woman and witnesses, surrender any firearms, and check in with probation weekly. He did not order GPS monitoring. The Commonwealth had asked for $50,000. Boston Public Schools placed Brown on administrative leave, MV Times and Boston 25 reported.
What the law says
The charge. Under G.L. c. 265, § 22(b), rape is sexual intercourse where the defendant “compels such person to submit by force and against his will, or compels such person to submit by threat of bodily injury.” It is punishable by up to 20 years in state prison. The Commonwealth must prove each element beyond a reasonable doubt. The charge is pending in District Court. A felony like this one is often indicted and moved to Superior Court, but no indictment has been reported.
Suspension of a trooper. Under G.L. c. 22C, § 13, a trooper with at least a year of service who faces charges is entitled to a trial board. Section 13(b) allows the colonel to suspend a trooper without pay only if the trooper has been criminally charged, has been referred to prosecutors, or there are “reasonable grounds to believe” the trooper “has engaged in misconduct in the performance of the uniformed member’s duties that violates the public trust,” and only after notice and a departmental hearing. These troopers were suspended with pay. Their suspensions are not a finding that they did anything wrong.
Certification. The state’s POST Commission can act on an officer’s certification separately from the department. Our post on Trooper Jack Cesarz explains how that process works.
What comes next
Brown’s next court date is a pretrial hearing on December 3 in Edgartown District Court, NBC10 and MV Times reported. The State Police internal affairs investigation is ongoing. State Police have not said what the troopers are being investigated for.
Frequently asked questions
Why were two Massachusetts State Police troopers suspended?
State Police suspended Troopers Ryan Costello and Robert Branca with pay on October 22, 2026, in connection with an alleged rape at trooper housing in Oak Bluffs in August. State Police have not said why, and neither trooper has been charged with a crime.
Who is charged in the Oak Bluffs barracks case?
Edward J. Brown, 27, of Boston, a Boston Public Schools security official, is charged with rape. He pleaded not guilty on October 13, 2026, and is presumed innocent. He was released on $10,000 cash bail with a no-contact order. His next court date is December 3.
Can State Police suspend a trooper without pay?
Only in limited circumstances. Under G.L. c. 22C, § 13(b), the colonel may suspend a trooper without pay after notice and a hearing if the trooper has been criminally charged, referred for prosecution, or there are reasonable grounds to believe the trooper engaged in on-duty misconduct that violates the public trust. These troopers were suspended with pay.
Are guests allowed at State Police barracks on Martha’s Vineyard?
Not overnight, as of the new rules. Col. Geoffrey Noble banned overnight guests at seasonal trooper housing on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket and required written approval from the barracks commander for visitors in non-public areas.
Sources: WCVB, NBC10 Boston and 7News (WHDH), October 22-23, 2026; MV Times, October 14, 2026, including its recording of the arraignment; Boston 25 News. G.L. c. 265, § 22 and c. 22C, § 13 read at malegislature.gov. The prosecutors’ statements are allegations. Edward Brown has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent. Neither trooper has been charged with a crime. We have not named the woman or private witnesses. General information, not legal advice.