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Man charged for allegedly groping woman at Forest Hills MBTA Station

Rufus Sanders Jr. allegedly groped one woman and harassed others at the station and on an MBTA bus. Police identified him when he approached officers and tried to make conversation a few days later.

June 11, 2023

2 minutes to read

A man who allegedly groped a woman at Forest Hills Station and harassed others on an MBTA bus on May 25 is now facing charges, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office. Police identified him when he approached officers at the station and attempted to make conversation with them last week.

Rufus Sanders Jr., 63, of West Roxbury was charged with indecent assault and battery on a person over 14 and lewd, wanton and lascivious conduct.

An image taken by a witness allegedly showing Rufus Sanders Jr. *– MBTA Transit Police*

On May 25 at about 6 p.m., police spoke with a woman who said that a man, later identified as Sanders, approached her at Forest Hills Station. He allegedly placed his right hand on her shoulder and moved it down to cup her breast. He then moved his hand to her waist and attempted to pull the woman closer, officials said.

The woman described her assailant to police as a man wearing a camouflage bucket hat, a white long-sleeve shirt, and gray pants. MBTA Transit Police released an image of him a few days later.

The woman then pushed him out of the way and moved toward a more crowded area of the station. Sanders tried to grab her again, causing another person to intervene, according to Hayden’s office.

Sanders came up from behind the woman as she got on a bus and grabbed her bag in an attempt to pull it off, prosecutors said. She broke free, boarded the bus, and moved to the front to get away from Sanders.

Sanders then moved to the back of the bus. That’s when the victim heard another woman towards the back of the bus yell “stop grabbing my ass,” according to Hayden’s office.

Police also spoke with a witness who said she saw a man harassing two young girls on a bus on May 26. She yelled for the man to stop. He then sat across from her, spread his legs, and fondled his crotch area while staring at her, according to Hayden’s office.

This woman recorded the incident and showed the video to police. They recognized the man to be the same suspect described by the previous victim, and he was wearing the same clothing described by the first victim.

On June 5, Sanders approached officers at Forest Hills Station and tried to start a conversation with them. He was holding an open beer container at the time, Hayden’s office said. Police immediately recognized him as the suspect they were looking for. He was wearing the same camouflage bucket hat and identified himself in a still photo provided by one of the victims to police.

“This individual’s behavior is dangerous and disturbing and impacts the safety realities and perceptions of our many residents who rely on public transportation. I thank police for their work on the case and commend the victims for speaking up to help prevent any future assaults by this individual,” Hayden said in a statement.

A judge set Sanders’ bail at $750 and ordered him to stay away from the victims and the Forest Hills Station. He is scheduled to return to court on June 30 for a pre-trial hearing.