Press Release: 4/3/2026
Boston man charged with indecent assault on MBTA bus driver
BOSTON, April 2, 2026, – A Boston man with multiple convictions for violent offenses dating back to 2005 was arraigned Monday in BMC Central for charges related to an indecent assault on an MBTA bus driver, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.
MICHAEL VANDENBROEKE, 41, of Jamaica Plain, was charged with indecent assault and battery on a person over 14, assault and battery on a public employee, and disorderly conduct on a public conveyance. Judge Paul Treseler ordered Vandenbroeke held on a $500 bail. He will return to court April 21 for a pre-trial hearing.
On March 26, officers met with an MBTA bus operator who stated that a man, later identified as Vandenbroeke, had sexually assaulted her upon boarding the bus at the Massachusetts Avenue and Washington Street Silver Line stop. The victim said that between 11 a.m. and noon, Vandenbroeke boarded the bus and picked up a bottle of perfume that she had dropped. As Vandenbroeke went to hand her the perfume bottle, he grabbed her face, poked her in the eye, placed his hand on her chest and groped her breast. The victim said that she moved Vandenbroeke’s hand away and yelled at him. Vandenbroeke then sat at the back of the bus, getting off a few stops later. The incident was captured on surveillance video from the bus and reviewed by police.
Officers distributed still images of Vandenbroeke. He was subsequently identified and arrested on March 30 in the Nubian Square station.
“The women and men who operate MBTA buses and trains are instrumental in transporting our workers, consumers, visitors and students throughout the metro Boston area day in and day out and they deserve our praise and our gratitude. An incident like this is an intolerable affront on them and on everyone who uses public transportation,” Hayden said.
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop. Our office handles more than 20,000 cases a year. Nearly 160 assistant district attorneys practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Boston and Chelsea Juvenile Courts and the Supreme Judicial Court. Our office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs for anyone encountering the criminal justice system. We are committed to educating the public about our mission and services while focusing on crime prevention to keep the residents, workers and visitors of Suffolk County safe.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications