FRAMINGHAM— Sickening betrayal rocked the Framingham Planning Board when its vice chair, Joseph C. Norton, was arrested in an undercover child sex crimes sting on December 18, 2025. The shocking incident, which also snagged two other local men, has sent shockwaves through the community as details emerge about the alleged attempts to solicit sex from an underage child.

Norton, alongside Eric S. Gurvis of Sherborn and Surya Chandra Ravi Kumar Eda of Milford, faces serious charges, including sexual conduct for a fee with a child, enticement of a child under the age of 16, and attempted rape of a child. Reports indicate that these men believed they were communicating with a minor when, in fact, they were interacting with undercover law enforcement officers.

Held on $7,500 bail each, the men are awaiting arraignment at Framingham District Court. In the aftermath of this disturbing scandal, Mayor Charlie Sisitsky expressed his commitment to maintaining integrity within the local government. He stated, "This is a serious matter... the city holds all of its officials and appointees to the highest standards of integrity and conduct."

As a result of the arrest, Norton tendered his resignation on December 24, just days after the sting operation. Appointed in 2018 by former Mayor Yvonne Spicer, he was reappointed in 2021. With calls for accountability and public trust hanging in the balance, the mayor has already begun advertising for two open seats on the Planning Board, a clear indication of the fallout from this shocking betrayal.