Jillian Rayfield May 18, 2010, 12:06 PM

State Rep. Jeffrey D. Perry (R-MA), who is also running for Congress, is getting some unwanted attention for his tenure as a police sergeant in the 1990s — particularly for two illegal strip searches of teenage girls conducted by an officer under Perry’s command.

While the officer was sentenced in 1994 to four years in prison, Perry was never convicted of any crime. But the Boston Globe is re-raising questions about the incidents in light of Perry’s congressional bid.

In 1991, Officer Scott Flanagan claimed to be searching for drugs when he stuck his hand down a 14-year-old girl’s underpants. Perry was the supervising officer on scene. The official complaint alleges Perry “observed the strip search” but “did nothing to protect her.” Perry, for his part, claimed that “it did not occur in my presence, and I have no knowledge of it,’ , the Boston Globe reports.

In the second incident, in 1992, purportedly at Flanagan’s request, Perry accompanied him to a 16-year-old girl’s house. There, her parents later testified, Perry informed them that he and Flanagan had searched her for drugs, and added “oh, yeah, by the way, [she] pulled her pants down for us.”

Perry told the paper he was simply recounting the events as Flanagan described them, and according to The Globe, also said “I did what I think is good police work.”

Flanagan was sentenced to four years in prison in 1994, after pleading guilty to indecent assault and other charges. Though Perry was not charged, he was named as a defendant in the cases.

Perry resigned his post in June 1993.

Perry is now running for Congress in Massachusetts’ 10th district — retiring Rep. Bill Delahunt’s (D) seat. He is competing with former State Treasurer Joe Malone for the nomination. The primary is set for September 14.

Jeffrey D. Perry, Republicans