Press Release  Father of Sexual Assault Defendant Arraigned for Misleading Police

Salem, Massachusetts — Matthew Cyckowski, 37, of Saugus, was arraigned in Salem Superior Court today for misleading police in their investigation of his son’s involvement in a sexual assault earlier this month.  He was arrested at his home yesterday on a warrant after an Essex County Grand Jury indicted him for misleading police.  A plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf.  Judge Timothy Feeley released him on personal recognizance and ordered him to stay away and have no contact with the victim, the co-defendants and the witnesses in the case involving his son.

Essex Assistant District Attorney Kate MacDougall requested that the defendant be held on $5,000 cash bail due to the serious nature of this crime.  She told the court that Saugus Police had contacted the defendant several times in an effort to question his son concerning allegations that his son had participated in a sexual assault on a 16 year old girl on September 3, 2014 with two other adult co-defendants.  Specifically, it was alleged that the defendant’s son had taken video of the alleged assault and sent the video to others using the social media app “SnapChat.”  On September 12^th, the defendant brought his son to the Saugus Police Department and gave police a cell phone that he represented as his son’s.  The Saugus Police sent it to the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab for analysis.  Later that same day, while his son was being arraigned in Lynn Juvenile Court, the defendant was overheard saying that he “got rid of the phone.”  Later it was determined that the defendant’s son’s phone number had been transferred to the defendant’s phone on September 6^th.  It is presumed that the defendant’s son phone, which was allegedly used in the commission of a crime, was destroyed by the defendant.

 The defendant was represented today by Attorney Ron Ranta for arraignment and bail only.  He must hire his own attorney and return to court on November 4, 2014.  He is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

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