Worcester – Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. released this statement this afternoon:
A Northborough man, who has taught at the high school and college levels, was arraigned today in Worcester Superior Court on seven counts of human trafficking and two counts of rape, according to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.
John B. Clayton IV, 63, was secretly indicted last week by a Worcester County Grand Jury and a Superior Court warrant was issued for his arrest. Mr. Clayton was out of state when the indictments were handed up. He returned to Massachusetts and turned himself in at the Millbury State Police Barracks this morning.
The charges are the result of a nearly two-year investigation led by the Massachusetts State Police High Risk Victims Unit and assisted by Northborough and Worcester Police. Besides the human trafficking and rape charges, Mr. Clayton also faces two counts of intimidation of a witness. The offenses occurred between 2015 and 2019
Assistant District Attorney Courtney L. Sans recommended $50,000 bail. If he posted bail, she asked that he be ordered to stay away and have no contact with the victims in the case. Defense Attorney Bradley Bailey asked for $10,000 bail and offered to have his client forfeit his passport and pilot’s license.
Judge J. Gavin Reardon set $15,000 bail and ordered Mr. Clayton to forfeit his passport pilot’s license. The judge also ordered Mr. Clayton not to leave his house except for medical and legal appointments, and to wear a GPS monitor. The case was continued to Feb. 27 for a pre-trial conference.
