Latest news with #SuffolkCountyDistrictAttorney'sOffice
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Boston 15-year-old charged in knife assault on MBTA bus driver
A Boston 15-year-old is facing charges in connection with brandishing a knife at an MBTA bus driver in Chelsea Friday night, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said. The teen has been charged with two counts of assault by means of a dangerous weapon and five firearms charges in connection with the incident in Chelsea Juvenile Court, the district attorney's office said in a press release. MBTA Transit Police responded to a call reporting that a bus driver had been assaulted in Chelsea shortly before 9:15 p.m. on May 30, the district attorney's office said. The driver told them three minors had gotten on at a bus stop without paying, but that he'd kept driving despite this resulting in an argument. As the minors got off the bus at a later stop, one of them threw a lighter at the driver and missed him, the district attorney's office said. As the driver got up from his seat, the same minor — who was later identified as the 15-year-old — took out a knife and started walking towards him. The driver was not injured during the incident, and all three minors ultimately got off the bus, the district attorney's office said. But the driver soon flagged down a police officer and pointed them towards the minors. The 15-year-old was arrested without incident, but as they were being arrested, one of the other minors offered to take their backpack, the district attorney's office said. Inside, police found a 9mm pistol with a high-capacity magazine and 11 rounds loaded. The driver's account of the assault was corroborated by security video of the incident, the district attorney's office said. 'There are numerous disturbing elements here, all made even more disturbing given the age of the person charged,' Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in the release. The 15-year-old's bail in a pending assault case out of Chelsea Juvenile Court was revoked as a result of the incident, the district attorney's office said. The teen is due back in court on July 7 for a bail hearing. Ex-Mass. state sen. pleads guilty to stealing gun from constituent, lying to police 2 men arrested in connection with shooting near University Park in Worcester Central Mass. man now facing manslaughter charge in connection with brother's death Mass. grandfather's online pain medication search spiraled into an international drug operation Man in critical condition after shooting near Brockton shopping plaza Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
N.H. man convicted of violently raping three Boston women gets decades in prison
A New Hampshire man was sentenced to decades in prison on Monday for violently raping three different women he picked up in Boston in 2023, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office announced. On May 16, 2025, a jury convicted 25-year-old Newton, New Hampshire, resident Maxwell Newman of four counts of rape, three counts of assault and battery, two counts of assault to rape and one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, the district attorney's office said in a press release. On Monday, Judge Debra Squires-Lee sentenced Newman to 28 to 34 years in state prison followed by five years of probation, the district attorney's office said. While issuing the sentence, she noted his 'repeated acts of violence, deliberate targeting of vulnerable women and degrading treatment' of the victims. On April 20, 2023, Newman was driving in the area of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard in Boston when he approached the first victim, the district attorney's office said. He brought the woman to a secluded parking lot at 128 Gerard St. and raped her. On June 12, 2023, at about 1:30 a.m., Newman was driving in the same area of Boston when he approached the second victim outside a Sunoco gas station, the district attorney's office said. He offered to pay the victim $120 and brought her to the same parking lot despite the victim's request that they park elsewhere. Newman then violently raped the second victim, the district attorney's office said. She immediately reported the crimes to the police and was taken to a local hospital. Later that evening, Newman returned to the same area of Boston, approached the third victim and invited her into his car, the district attorney's office said. After driving her around Boston and New Hampshire for a while, he brought her to a state park. Two fishermen were walking back to their car when they heard the victim screaming and saw Newman on top of her, the district attorney's office said. They found the victim with fresh bruises and cuts that were swelling and bleeding. She reported being punched in the face, beaten and raped, but said she did not fight back because she feared for her life, the district attorney's office said. Detectives were able to identify Newman as a suspect in this assault through video footage showing him entering and exiting the state park in his Kia Forte. In October 2023, detectives determined that DNA from the first two assaults were from the same perpetrator using a national crime scene database, the district attorney's office said. A DNA sample from Newman that they obtained via court order after his arrest for the third rape linked him to the prior two crimes. 'Maxwell Newman set out to terrorize some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society, and he did exactly that, including assaulting two victims in the same day,' Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in the release. 'I'm proud of the investigators, prosecutors and victim witness advocates who helped secure a measure of justice for these women, and I'm grateful that the jurors held this man accountable for his cruel actions.' Woman tried to erase evidence after charging $1,500 in sex trafficking scheme, police say Springfield officials support legislation to automatically seal criminal records Man charged with murder after woman's body is discovered near Northeastern University 2nd victim in Boston double shooting from last weekend dies, both men identified Springfield man charged with 16 counts of sexual assault including rape Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
Long Island man slashed, stabbed cop to avoid car theft arrest: DA
A Long Island man accused of lunging at a Suffolk County police officer and slashing and stabbing him to avoid arrest has been indicted on multiple charges, prosecutors announced Wednesday. Steven Vazquez, 22, of Bay Shore, was hiding underneath a black pickup truck on Gibbs Road in Amityville in the early hours of May 6 when he was spotted by two officers canvassing the area for a suspect believed to be breaking into vehicles, officials said. When the officers approached the vehicle, Vazquez 'allegedly came out from underneath the truck armed with a knife and lunged at him,' according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office. He then 'slashed the officer on the neck and chin area and then stabbed him on his upper right leg and groin area,' officials said. According to Suffolk County Commissioner Kevin Catalina, Vazquez 'immediately emerged with a knife' when the officers attempted to arrest him, WABC reported at the time. Vazquez also refused to follow police commands and became violent while resisting arrest, leading the officer's partner to use a Taser to subdue him. He was arrested at the scene, officials said. The injured officer was taken to a nearby hospital and required stitches to close wounds on his chin and neck. On Tuesday, Vazquez was arraigned on multiple charges, including attempted aggravated assault on a police officer and menacing a police officer. He pleaded not guilty and was ordered held without bail for the duration of the case, online court records show. District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said his office will prosecute the alleged crime to the fullest extent of the law, adding, 'Our harshest penalties are reserved for those who violently assault police officers.' Vazquez faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the top count. He's due back in court on July 1.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Yahoo
'Major drug trafficker' gets lengthy prison sentence after leaving OD victims to go to Wendy's: authorities
A New York drug kingpin was sentenced to a lengthy prison term Tuesday after he left two overdose victims to go to a Wendy's restaurant. Holbrook resident Russell Defreitas, 55, was recently found guilty of operating as a major drug trafficker and 91 other charges. He was sentenced to 53 years in prison, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office. In a press release Tuesday, the office said Defreitas was involved in "a large-scale cocaine and fentanyl trafficking operation in Suffolk County which caused two fentanyl overdose deaths." The incident happened May 9, 2023, when the two victims — a male and a female — were in a hotel room booked in Defreitas' name. 4, Including Children, Killed After Vehicle Crashes Into Illinois After-school Camp: Police "When the female overdosed in the hotel room, Defreitas directed his associates not to call 911," the DA's office said in a statement. "Defreitas removed drugs and other evidence from the hotel room and then went to eat at a nearby Wendy's. Read On The Fox News App "Hours later, Defreitas allowed one of his associates to call 911. By that time, both the female and male had fatally overdosed in the hotel room." Defreitas was arrested two days later. Authorities found loads of incriminating evidence after executing search warrants on his trailer and hotel room. "During those searches, law enforcement recovered cocaine, fentanyl, two loaded firearms, cutting agents, drug packaging materials, scales used to weigh narcotics, and numerous hotel room key cards," the statement explained. Brazilian Pro-bolsonaro Protester Who Wrote On Statue With Lipstick Sentenced To 14 Years In Jail: Report "Additionally, at the time of his arrest, Defreitas was found to be in possession of bank cards in the names of two of his overdose victims." Defreitas was sentenced Tuesday after defending himself in court without a lawyer. In a statement, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said Defreitas' sentencing "highlights the urgent need for stronger legislation," and he endorsed a bill called Chelsey's Law "The passage of Chelsey's Law in New York State would give prosecutors additional tools to hold dealers accountable when their products cause death," the DA said. "This defendant's actions directly led to two overdose fatalities, yet our current laws don't allow us to charge these preventable deaths as the homicides that they are. "Chelsey's Law would ensure that those who profit from dealing deadly substances face consequences proportionate to the devastation they cause in our communities." Fox News Digital's Sophia Compton contributed to this article source: 'Major drug trafficker' gets lengthy prison sentence after leaving OD victims to go to Wendy's: authorities
Fox News
01-05-2025
- Fox News
'Major drug trafficker' gets lengthy prison sentence after leaving OD victims to go to Wendy's: authorities
A New York drug kingpin was sentenced to a lengthy prison term Tuesday after he left two overdose victims to go to a Wendy's restaurant. Holbrook resident Russell Defreitas, 55, was recently found guilty of operating as a major drug trafficker and 91 other charges. He was sentenced to 53 years in prison, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office. In a press release Tuesday, the office said Defreitas was involved in "a large-scale cocaine and fentanyl trafficking operation in Suffolk County which caused two fentanyl overdose deaths." The incident happened May 9, 2023, when the two victims — a male and a female — were in a hotel room booked in Defreitas' name. "When the female overdosed in the hotel room, Defreitas directed his associates not to call 911," the DA's office said in a statement. "Defreitas removed drugs and other evidence from the hotel room and then went to eat at a nearby Wendy's. "Hours later, Defreitas allowed one of his associates to call 911. By that time, both the female and male had fatally overdosed in the hotel room." Defreitas was arrested two days later. Authorities found loads of incriminating evidence after executing search warrants on his trailer and hotel room. "During those searches, law enforcement recovered cocaine, fentanyl, two loaded firearms, cutting agents, drug packaging materials, scales used to weigh narcotics, and numerous hotel room key cards," the statement explained. "Additionally, at the time of his arrest, Defreitas was found to be in possession of bank cards in the names of two of his overdose victims." Defreitas was sentenced Tuesday after defending himself in court without a lawyer. In a statement, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said Defreitas' sentencing "highlights the urgent need for stronger legislation," and he endorsed a bill called Chelsey's Law "The passage of Chelsey's Law in New York State would give prosecutors additional tools to hold dealers accountable when their products cause death," the DA said. "This defendant's actions directly led to two overdose fatalities, yet our current laws don't allow us to charge these preventable deaths as the homicides that they are. "Chelsey's Law would ensure that those who profit from dealing deadly substances face consequences proportionate to the devastation they cause in our communities."
