Wareham police officer charged with rape and strangulation, held without bail; state suspends his certification
State police assigned to the Cape and Islands District Attorney's office investigated after learning of the allegations in June, according to court documents NBC Boston reviewed.
WAREHAM A Wareham police officer is being held without bail after pleading not guilty to charges that he raped, strangled and repeatedly threatened a woman with a gun, NBC Boston reported, citing state police reports filed in court.
Ryan Gomes, who lives in Wareham and works for the town's police department, was arrested Friday, Oct. 23, the station reported. He is charged with two counts of rape, 15 counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of strangulation and one count of assault and battery on a family or household member.
Gomes pleaded not guilty to all of the charges at his arraignment Monday, Oct. 26, in Wareham District Court and was ordered held without bail, NBC Boston reported. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
On Tuesday, Oct. 27, the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, the state body that certifies police officers, suspended his certification, according to the station.
What the court papers say
The investigation was handled by Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Cape and Islands District Attorney's office, according to the reports NBC Boston reviewed. State police learned of the allegations in June, the station reported.
She told police that Gomes pointed a gun at her about 15 times and strangled her, the reports say, according to NBC Boston. The investigation took weeks and included interviews with witnesses, the station reported.
South Coast 360 does not identify people who report sexual assault or domestic abuse, and this story leaves out details that could identify her.
What the charges carry
Rape, under Chapter 265, Section 22(b), of the General Laws, is punishable by up to 20 years in state prison. Strangulation carries up to five years in state prison under Section 15D, and assault with a dangerous weapon carries up to five years under Section 15B. Assault and battery on a family or household member carries up to 2 1/2 years in a house of correction for a first offense under Section 13M.
What comes next
South Coast 360 will update this story with the court record, the next date and any response from the department, the town or the district attorney's office.
If you need help
SafeLink, Massachusetts' free, confidential, 24-hour domestic violence hotline, is 877-785-2020. It can also connect callers with a local sexual assault program.
The National Sexual Assault Hotline, run by RAINN, is 800-656-4673, 24 hours a day.
Label: Reported by us, from the town's posted records.
Notes
Every fact about the arrest, the charges, the arraignment, the holding without bail, the certification suspension and the investigation comes from NBC Boston's Oct. 27 report of the state police reports in the court file and is credited to the station; we have not seen the court file or the commission's order. Penalties come from the General Laws, read Oct. 28. The SafeLink number comes from Jane Doe Inc. and the national hotline number from the Justice Department. We checked each date and weekday against a calendar.
Corrections
No corrections to this story. If something here is wrong, tell us. Every correction is dated on the story and listed in our public log.
Sources (7)
- NBC Boston, "Wareham police officer arrested on rape, domestic assault charges" (Oct. 27, 2026)Every case fact: the arrest Friday, the charges, the not guilty plea and holding without bail Monday in Wareham District Court, the POST Commission suspension Tuesday, and the state police reports in the court file (investigated by state police assigned to the Cape and Islands District Attorney's office; allegations learned of in June). Page metadata shows it posted Oct. 27, 2026, 7:44 p.m., updated Oct. 28, 7:13 a.m. Read Oct. 28, 2026.
- Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 265, Section 22Rape; subsection (b), up to 20 years. Read Oct. 28, 2026.
- Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 265, Section 15DStrangulation or suffocation; subsection (b), up to five years. Read Oct. 28, 2026.
- Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 265, Section 15BAssault by means of a dangerous weapon; subsection (b), up to five years. Read Oct. 28, 2026.
- Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 265, Section 13MAssault or assault and battery on a family or household member; subsection (a). Read Oct. 28, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women: Local ResourcesNational Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN), 1-800-656-4673; staffed 24 hours a day per womenshealth.gov. Read Oct. 28, 2026.
- Jane Doe Inc., "Find Help"SafeLink, 1-877-785-2020, free, confidential and multilingual, open 24 hours, and a connection to local sexual assault and domestic violence programs. Read Oct. 28, 2026.