The following announcement was provided by the David Solet for Middlesex District Attorney Campaign:
Two Watertown Police Unions announced July 22 that they have endorsed David Solet, a veteran trial attorney and 2025 Middlesex County Prosecutor of the Year, to replace current District Attorney Marian Ryan, citing fundamental differences in their approach to pursuing justice and protecting the residents of Middlesex County.
The Watertown Superiors Police Association and the Watertown Police Patrol Association noted that Solet would crack down on illegal gun trafficking, prioritize the prosecution of repeat violent offenders, and fight for changes to close loopholes in state laws that jeopardize public safety. The two unions join 25 other public safety unions and organizations across Middlesex County — including the Cambridge, Somerville, Lowell, and Framingham Police Associations — endorsing Solet in his bid to unseat the 13-year incumbent in the Sept. 1 Democratic primary.
Lt. Wayne Hoiseth, President of the Watertown Superiors Association, said: “In our line of work, trust is everything. Dave has earned that trust by consistently leading with integrity, principle, and an unwavering commitment to justice.”
“We need a DA that is serious about cracking down on our most pressing issues,” said John Bartolomucci, President of the Watertown Police Association. “Dave is fully committed to combating drivers who are impaired by drugs and cybercrime — two of the biggest threats our officers and the people in our community face every day.”
Solet said: “Receiving these endorsements from two organizations representing the men and women of Watertown who wear the uniform is humbling. These people know who I am, and what I’ve done as a prosecutor, and they have confidence in what I will do in the future.”
Solet will work to disrupt gun trafficking organizations that smuggle guns into Massachusetts from out-of-state, protect the elderly from financial fraud and abuse, and ensure that prosecutorial decisions are driven by the facts and the law, not political considerations or fear of repercussions.
Solet has also pledged to modernize the office, recognizing that the emergence of modern technology has created a new branch of crimes — including cyber-stalking, AI-facilitated child exploitation, cryptocurrency scams and cybersecurity threats.
“There is a fundamental difference between me and my opponent in our approach to protecting the citizens of Middlesex County,” Solet said. “I will lead from principle, and I will speak out to protect victims, even if it ruffles some feathers. My goal is to make sure that no victim is left behind, and to build an office that is truly committed to equal justice under law.”
A prosecutor for 24 years, Solet has sought justice for victims of domestic violence, gun violence, narcotics trafficking, and public corruption. He was a longtime member of the office’s Special Investigations Unit, which prosecuted organized crime, then served as the first Chief of the Cyber Protection Unit, fighting online child exploitation. Since 2019, he served as the first Chief of the Middlesex County Cold Case Homicide Unit, investigating hundreds of unsolved homicides and dozens of unsolved sex assaults.
For his work, he was named Middlesex County Prosecutor of the Year in 2025 and has received numerous other awards from law enforcement organizations.
An honors graduate of Harvard Law School, Solet previously served as Chief Legal Counsel to the Massachusetts Secretary of Public Safety. He is a Major in the JAG Corps of the United States Army Reserve, where he was a defense attorney for soldiers and represented victims of sexual assault. He is the proud father of two daughters, both graduates of Newton North High School, and now lives in Cambridge.