HINGHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - Brockton Mayor Moises Rodrigues appeared in court Monday after a complaint was filed against him by a 17-year-old student who claimed that he grabbed her by her waist.
The 17-year-old testified in court Monday that Rodrigues grabbed her by her waist during a parade in May. The female student said she didn’t know who he was, felt uncomfortable, and tried to pull away.
Rodrigues admitted to running through the marching band during the parade. He was served a harassment prevention order earlier this month to stay away from the student who made allegations against him.
“I felt awful, because as a father of three daughters, and also being someone who’s always protected children, I don’t want any kid to feel uncomfortable,” Rodrigues said.
The case gained national attention when the girl’s mother interrupted the Brockton High School graduation ceremony, complaining Rodrigues showed up despite the court order and an order from school officials to stay away.
A teacher who was at the parade also testified Monday about what he witnessed.
“To see what I saw was also just, a little bit unbelievable in the moment, and it’s the mayor,” said Andrew Fantucchio, the marching band director. “Watching it in the moment I knew that it was something that was innapropriate.”
“I believe that it’s possible that I put my hand on her,” Rodrigues said. When asked if he put his hand on the girl’s waist, he responded, “That I don’t know, I can’t tell you that. I probably put my hand around her to tell her how proud I am of all the children of Brockton High School.”
The judge called Rodrigues’s action “unprofessional,” but said it did not meet a standard of indecency and the harassment prevention order was not extended.
“I’m glad this is behind me, and now I can go back to the business of running a city,” Rodrigues told 7NEWS outside court.
Rodrigues said he fully cooperated with Brockton Public Schools during the investigation.
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)