Mass. troopers charged in recruit’s death suspended with pay

The four members of the Massachusetts State Police charged in connection with the death of a state police recruit have all been suspended with pay, a state police spokesperson told Boston 25 on Thursday.

Lt. Jennifer Penton and Troopers Edwin Rodrigues, David Montanez, and Casey Lamonte are facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and causing serious bodily injury in connection with the death of Enrique Delgado-Garcia in September 2024 after he collapsed following a boxing session.

Penton is also facing a perjury charge.

The four members of state police were suspended after duty status hearings, an MSP spokesperson said. During the discipline process, a Trooper can be retained on full duty, placed on restricted duty, suspended with pay, or suspended without pay following a duty status hearing.

“As in any disciplinary process, should additional information become available to the Department through the judicial process, it may convene a subsequent duty status hearing to evaluate the new information,” MSP spokesperson Tim McGuirk told Boston 25 News.

The four individuals had already had their law enforcement licenses suspended by the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission.

On Monday, Feb. 9, special prosecutor David Meier, alongside Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell, announced charges against one sergeant and three troopers following a lengthy investigation into Enrique Delgado-Garcia’s passing.

Delgado-Garcia died during a boxing training exercise at the Massachusetts State Police Academy in New Braintree in September 2024. Sources familiar with the investigation told 25 Investigates that he suffered broken bones, damaged or missing teeth, and a spinal injury.

Following Delgado Garcia’s death, Massachusetts State Police announced a series of reforms, including dividing the upcoming class into two smaller cohorts, appointing new Academy leadership, and completing an hour-by-hour review of the training curriculum. State police also suspended the full-contact boxing training program.

The independent investigation, which cost more than half a million dollars, took some 16 months before the indictments were announced, and officials said it was ongoing.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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