Sex offender charged with indecent assault in Downtown Boston, officials say

A registered sex offender was charged Monday with indecent assault near Downtown Crossing and Boston Common, authorities said.

Kenneth Osborne, 65, was charged with indecent assault and battery on a person over 14 in Boston Municipal Court Central, according to a statement from the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office. The judge ordered $5,000 bail on Osborne with GPS monitoring if released.

Multiple witnesses flagged Boston police on Jan. 24 around 3 p.m. to report an incident near 178 Tremont St. The victim told police that while she was on her phone, a man pressed himself against her and grabbed her buttocks, according to the statement. The man fled when the victim turned around and asked “do I know you?” She tried to record him on her phone but lost sight.

Police found a man resembling the description of the perpetrator, later identified as Osborne, at 505 Washington St. around 3:30 p.m, and took him into custody. 

“While it’s fortunate that this victim didn’t sustain physical injuries, no one should downplay the fear and personal violation she experienced, nor the impact that incidents like this have on our sense of neighborhood safety and quality of life,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden in the statement.

Osborne was previously convicted in 2006 for assault to rape and indecent assault and battery and sentenced to state prison, authorities said.

Osborne will return to court on March 5 for a pretrial hearing.

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