Massachusetts Attic Captive Case Reveals Man Accused of Trafficking Was Already Free on Bail

A man accused of holding a woman captive in a Massachusetts attic for six weeks was out on bail in a separate weapons case when a landlord found her this month, court records show, putting his earlier release under fresh scrutiny.

Jordende Pierre, 29, of Malden, has pleaded not guilty to trafficking a person for sexual servitude, kidnapping, and indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older. A judge ordered him held without bail on 25 September, with a dangerousness hearing set for 6 October.

The Bail Question

At the time of his arrest, Pierre had an open case in Somerville for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and had been released on bail, according to court records. That detail sits at the centre of the case, because the alleged captivity unfolded while he was free before trial.

Massachusetts law lets prosecutors request a dangerousness hearing to hold a defendant without bail when release conditions cannot reasonably protect the public, and Pierre now faces that process in the Malden case.

'The allegations in this case are deeply disturbing. No person should ever be subjected to the violence, exploitation, and loss of freedom alleged here,' said Dennis Matulewicz, US marshal for Massachusetts.

Six Weeks in an Unfinished Attic

Police responded to a multifamily home on Summer Street on Sunday, 20 September, after a landlord checking on a water leak found the woman and called 911. Prosecutors said she was naked and malnourished on a mat, covered in scabs, with a five-gallon (19-litre) bucket of urine nearby. 'She clearly had not eaten, she was dirty. She was living, essentially, in squalor in this attic area,' Middlesex County Assistant District Attorney Jacob McCrindle told the court. Investigators said the handle to the attic door could be removed, and that Pierre took it away so the woman could not leave.

Neighbours told NBC Boston they had long been uneasy about the Summer Street property, describing a rotating cast of visitors. 'We've heard rumors about that house in the past,' one resident, Tarra Sewell, said.

A Dating App That Became a Trap

Prosecutors said Pierre met the woman through a dating app and brought her to the Malden home about six weeks before she was found.

The woman, who had struggled with substance abuse and had been at a rehab facility, was given drugs at the property, prosecutors alleged. They said Pierre sexually assaulted her and arranged for her to have sex with at least six other men who visited the house.

What Comes Next

Pierre was arrested on Thursday, 24 September, near the 300 block of Summer Street by Malden police, the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Boston Violent Crimes Task Force, and the US Marshals Service.

A warrant had been issued the day before. Malden Police Chief Marc Gatcomb said the woman was brought to a safe location with her family and that there is no ongoing threat to public safety.

The investigation continues, and police have not ruled out further arrests. Pierre is due back in court on 6 October, when the dangerousness hearing will determine whether he remains detained pending the case.