Brockton, Massachusetts Mayor Moises Rodrigues has been charged with misdemeanor assault and battery after a high school student alleged he made inappropriate physical contact with her during a city parade in May. Court documents confirm the charge followed an August 2026 hearing in which a clerk-magistrate determined there was probable cause to proceed against him.
The alleged incident occurred while Rodrigues was dancing and marching in the parade. The student, who was performing with Brockton High School’s marching band, says the mayor grabbed her and pulled her toward him in a way that left her upset and uncomfortable. Rodrigues has publicly apologized, saying he never intended to make anyone feel uncomfortable.
Graduation Ceremony Confrontation Draws Public Attention
The case became widely known after the student’s mother interrupted Brockton High School’s graduation ceremony in June, approaching the podium while Rodrigues was delivering an address. According to Brockton mayor assault and battery case, the mother shouted at him directly in front of parents and graduates.
“You know what you did to my daughter. You have to [expletive] get out of here,” she told him. Officials with Brockton Public Schools had urged Rodrigues not to attend the ceremony beforehand, but he told them he felt obligated to be present. He chose not to hand out diplomas and made efforts to avoid contact with his accuser, claiming at the time that he did not know the student’s identity.
Restraining Order Declined, Second Complaint Filed
Following graduation, the student received a temporary two-week harassment prevention order against Rodrigues. A judge later declined to extend it, ruling that while the mayor’s conduct was “unwelcome, offensive and certainly unprofessional,” it did not meet the legal threshold for continuation. The judge found the student had not established that indecent assault and battery occurred, or that she had been subjected to three separate acts of willful and malicious conduct.
A second student from Brockton High School separately alleged that Rodrigues touched her inappropriately at a different school event. Local law enforcement has opened an investigation into that complaint as well. State Police assigned to the Plymouth County district attorney’s office led the investigation into the original allegations and brought the assault and battery charge against the mayor.
What Comes Next for Rodrigues
Clerk-Magistrate Pamela Guavin-Fernandes, who is also a captain with the Massachusetts State Police and conducted the investigation, said during the August 7 hearing that charges against the mayor were warranted. Rodrigues now faces a misdemeanor assault and battery count as the case moves forward in court. The second investigation remains ongoing, and the mayor continues to serve in office while both matters proceed.
