A Johnston police officer was arrested and charged during a sex sting operation in Massachusetts, the NBC 10 I-Team has learned through court records.
Officer Viet Nguyen, 46, of Brockton, was charged with felony human trafficking after his arrest inside a Rockland, Massachusetts, hotel room in early August. Investigators posted an online ad for sex and a female officer went undercover acting as an escort, said the Plymouth County District Attorney's office.
Court records say Nguyen made contact with the undercover officer on Aug. 5, asked for sex and agreed to meet her at the hotel for a $100 "quick visit."
Nguyen specifically asked the undercover officer if she was "working for herself?" according to a police report obtained by the NBC 10 I-Team. At about 7:10 p.m., Nguyen arrived at the hotel driving a black 2017 Santa Fe with Rhode Island plates. He was given the room number and knocked on the door, which turned out to be a decoy hotel room.
Law enforcement were waiting inside and arrested the Johnston cop, according to court records. Once in custody, the undercover officer who had arranged the meeting with Nguyen texted him "MSP Test." Investigators who made the arrest then noticed the text message on Nguyen's phone, said the police report.
Four other men were also taken into custody with Nguyen and arraigned in Hingham, Massachusetts, District Court, each on one count of trafficking of a person for sexual servitude.
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Nguyen pleaded not guilty and was released. An I-Team reporter tried to speak with Nguyen at his home in Brockton. A family member there said he was in Washington, D.C. A car parked in Nguyen's driveway had Rhode Island license plates.
Nguyen, a 13-year veteran, was the second Johnston police officer arrested and charged with crimes over the last two months. Detective Steven Lopez was arrested in June on domestic charges. Nguyen was suspended without pay, according to Chief Joseph Razza. He's set to appear in court on Sept. 15.
The sting operation included members of the Massachusetts State Police High Risk Victims Unit, Rockland police, Boston Human Trafficking Task Force, and the Plymouth County Sheriff's Department.