BOSTON – David S. Finnerty, a former Sergeant with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Transit Police Department, has been sentenced in federal court to two years’ probation for aiding and abetting the filing of a false arrest report related to an assault at the Ashmont MBTA Station.
Finnerty, 49, from Rutland, Mass., was ordered by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to complete 150 hours of community service and pay a $500 fine, despite the government’s recommendation for a two-year prison sentence. The conviction stems from Finnerty’s actions in May 2025 when he was found guilty on one count of aiding and abetting the filing of a false report.
In August 2023, Finnerty was indicted by a federal grand jury. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley criticized Finnerty’s actions, stating, “By falsifying a police report to cover up an unconstitutional assault, Mr. Finnerty betrayed his badge and the public’s trust.”
Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division, echoed the sentiment, calling Finnerty’s behavior a “gross betrayal of trust.” Finnerty was the Officer in Charge for the overnight shift on July 27, 2018, and supervised Officer Dorston Bartlett, who physically assaulted a homeless man at Ashmont MBTA station.
Despite witnessing excessive force and knowing Bartlett used illegal force, Finnerty failed to report the incident. Instead, he attempted to help Bartlett falsify an arrest report, adding lies and altering facts to justify the assault. The alterations included claims of the victim’s aggressive behavior and a perceived threat to Bartlett’s safety, all contradicted by videos of the incident.
Finnerty’s changes elaborated on these falsehoods and added more to cover up Bartlett’s unconstitutional use of force. His actions have led to his conviction and sentence, affirming that no one is above the law.
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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