FITCHBURG — A former Fitchburg police officer who was decertified in August 2025 was arrested on October 29 and charged with aggravated rape for allegedly assaulting a woman while on duty about a decade ago.
Following his arrest, James McCall, who resigned from the department in 2023, was arraigned on one count of aggravated rape and released on personal recognizance. The court ordered him to stay away from and have no contact with the victim or witnesses.
On September 23, 2025, the Massachusetts State Police received a report from a woman who alleged that McCall raped her while on duty in late 2014 or early 2015.
According to the report, obtained by WCVB, the woman told investigators she had been walking near Myrtle Avenue and Main Street when McCall pulled up beside her in his Fitchburg police cruiser, ordered her to get inside, and threatened to arrest her if she refused. McCall then allegedly drove to a nearby parking lot, where the woman told police he raped her.
McCall’s attorney told NewsCenter 5 that his client denies the charge and intends to fight it vigorously.
The arrest came just months after the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission permanently revoked McCall’s certification on August 14, 2025, finding by “clear and convincing evidence” that he was unfit for duty and posed a danger to public safety. According to the POST Commission’s final decision, McCall’s misconduct included using Snapchat from his marked Fitchburg police cruiser to send a lewd message to a juvenile high school student he met while on duty at Fitchburg High School, and posting a sexually explicit meme on Instagram that read, “Tag someone who deserves a glass of wine and unproblematic d*ck,” tagging a female coworker from the department.
More: Fitchburg police officer permanently decertified after findings of sexual misconduct and harassment
“This report outlines a deeply troubling allegation involving a former member of the Fitchburg Police Department,” Fitchburg Mayor Sam Squailia said in a statement.
Squailia said the allegations against McCall surfaced shortly after his decertification, and that Fitchburg Police Chief Steven Giannini immediately alerted the appropriate authorities once informed.
A city spokesperson told WCVB that Mayor Squailia and Chief Giannini “reaffirm their shared commitment to protecting and serving the Fitchburg community with integrity,” adding that their commitment includes “upholding due process, cooperating fully with investigators, and working to ensure justice for all victims.”
McCall is scheduled to appear in court again on December 11.