In the quiet seaside town of Plymouth, Massachusetts, residents trusted Samantha Pelrine to protect and serve. A 31-year-old patrol officer with the Plymouth Police Department, Pelrine wore the uniform and carried the badge that symbolized law and order. But behind closed doors in the home she shared with her husband, Daniel Forand, prosecutors say a horrifying pattern of betrayal unfolded — one that allegedly turned a vulnerable teenager into a repeated victim of sexual and physical abuse.
According to court documents, the nightmare began when the victim — a boy who had been raised by his grandmother and aunt until age 12 — was placed with Pelrine and Forand, described as friends from his aunt’s church. After about a year living with the couple, they became his legal guardians. It was then, the now-adult victim claims in a chilling handwritten affidavit, that the abuse started.
“Shortly after they became my guardians, they both sexually assaulted me until 2025 and physically assaulted me until 2026,” the victim stated. Prosecutors allege the sexual abuse began when he was just 14 years old and continued for years — a calculated grooming process that shattered any sense of safety the boy should have found in his new home. Plymouth Assistant District Attorney Jim Duffy described it plainly: “The allegations are that the sexual abuse started when he was 14 years old and continued up until last year. Another term for that is ‘grooming.’”
Pelrine now faces three felony counts of aggravated child rape with force and one count of aggravated statutory rape of a child. Her husband, 37-year-old Daniel Forand, faces a staggering 20 counts, including multiple charges of rape of a child, indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. The victim reported that while both allegedly participated in the sexual abuse, only Forand continued the physical assaults into 2026. The young man finally moved out of the couple’s Plymouth home in February.
The allegations surfaced dramatically on March 17, 2026, when the victim submitted his affidavit. That same day, Pelrine was placed on paid administrative leave. Nine days later, on March 26, both Pelrine and Forand were arrested at their home. They were arraigned in Plymouth District Court, where they pleaded not guilty. Pelrine was seen crying during the proceedings. Bail was set at $10,000 for Pelrine (which was posted) and $25,000 for Forand (also posted). Their next court date is scheduled for a probable cause hearing on June 8, 2026.
Defense attorneys pushed back hard. Pelrine’s lawyer, Joseph Krowski Jr., pointed out that the accuser had previously made a false accusation of sexual assault against someone else while in high school. Forand’s attorney described the victim as a “troubled young man” who only came forward after the couple asked him to move out.
The Plymouth Police Department issued a strong statement expressing shock and condemnation:
“We are appalled and deeply disturbed by the allegations. We hold our officers to the highest of standards and expect them to uphold their sworn duty both on duty and off. Our primary mission is to safeguard the public’s trust and uphold the law… The conduct alleged is in violation of our values and of our basic principles as a police officer to serve and protect.”
For many, the case hits especially hard because it involves a sworn officer entrusted with safeguarding the community — including its most vulnerable members — allegedly preying on a child placed in her care. The betrayal feels even more profound given Pelrine’s role as a legal guardian.
As the case heads toward a probable cause hearing, questions linger about how long the alleged abuse went undetected and what, if any, warning signs existed within the home or the department. For now, the victim’s affidavit stands as the central piece of evidence, painting a disturbing picture of two people who were supposed to provide stability and protection instead becoming the source of years of trauma.
The black-and-white world of law enforcement rarely looks so stained. When the very people who carry the badge stand accused of such monstrous crimes against a child in their custody, it forces a painful reckoning: How well do we really know those sworn to protect us?
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