Boston Criminal Lawyer Blog

Big happenings in the Boston area! A police investigation into a robbery with a gun! What could be more exciting than a big SWAT team operation? The Bad Guys are usually cornered and lives hang in the balance as the Good Guys take control and take whatever Bad Guys still exist after the stand-off into custody.

Such was the scene at Fenwood Road in Mission Hill yesterday.

Well, almost.

It was a tense four hours last night as the investigating Boston Police Department special operations team and dozens of police units surrounded the apartment at issue.

The targets?

Armed robbery suspects! Pretty serious stuff!

Continue reading "A Boston Defense Attorney Discusses Police SWAT Investigation Into Armed Robbery" »

The Boston Criminal Lawyer Blog acknowledges that this was a bad weekend for Craigslist. Of course, some others would be quick to suggest it was a bad weekend for escorts. Let’s just say it was an eerily coincidental weekend for alleged criminals who prey upon Craigslist advertisers.

Remember the so-called “Craigslist Killer” from around a year ago? Well, before we hit the update on that particular gentleman, let’s discuss what may be his protégé…Luther H. (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) a man from Brockton. He is accused of robbing a female (alleged) escort at gunpoint after arranging a meeting with her through Craigslist, a classified advertisement website.

Although arraigned on August 5th for the July 9th incident, the Defendant’s tale hit the list of the infamous this past weekend. Plymouth District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz announced that the Defendant and his temporary ladyfriend had agreed to meet to exchange sexual services for pay at a “predetermined location”. Said location was apparently a vacant house.

At said house, the Defendant is said to have surprised the escort by what he pulled out. It was a gun. He then allegedly ordered her to strip and restrained her using zip-cuffs. Next, the Defendant asked his complainant-to-be what possessions she had for him to steal, to which she replied that her valuables were in her car.

According to Cruz, the Defendant stole the victim’s money, purse, laptop, and cellphone from her car.

Continue reading "A Boston Defense Attorney Discusses MA Tales Of Murder, Robbery And Craigslist" »

Sometimes, you find a case that seems to reveal a new low in criminal acts. As a Boston criminal defense attorney for many years, I have seen more than my fill.

Allegedly, that is.

A Brighton man was arrested Monday night for allegedly robbing a 67-year-old woman who uses a wheelchair for mobility purposes, according to police officials.

Jerdon B, 48, (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) is said gentleman. At about 11:40p.m., officers responded to the Mission Hill neighborhood to investigate the event.
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The Defendant was charged with unarmed robbery for allegedly robbing the complainant while she was waiting for the Green Line trolley, police said. The suspect then allegedly pushed her onto the tracks on Huntington Avenue.

His reward? Ten bucks.

Continue reading "Boston-Area Man Is Charged With Robbing And Assaulting Elderly Woman In Wheelchair " »

Today, the Boston Criminal Lawyer Blog points out that there really can be “heroes” as well as “villains” in today’s modern, if not skeptical, age.

It seems to also be a story of a suspect's alleged consistency.

It was this past Monday. It began when a 34-year-old woman parked her Acura SUV at the Dock Square garage in the North End. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a burly man appeared at her door, speaking calmly and matter-of-factly.

“I need your car, I need your keys,’’ he said.

When she saw the gun in her hand, she knew it was not simply an unlucky gentleman who simply needed an emergency ride to, say, deliver a baby.

He simply wanted to deliver the car...to himself

Continue reading "Assault, License Loss And OUI Charges Apparently Not Enough For Alleged Armed Carjacker" »

Recovery from a long weekend, such as the Thanksgiving weekend we have just enjoyed, can mean different things to different people. For me, for example, it meant waking up yesterday not being able to get online and so not posting my blog (sorry about that, by the way). For Sonny T., 21, of Wareham (hereinafter referred to as the “Defendant”), it meant being in contact with his new criminal defense attorney and dealing with fallout from some alleged indiscretions over the holiday.

These indiscretions include criminal charges such as counterfeiting, armed robbery and assault.

According to the Commonwealth, the Defendant was not in the most thankful of moods last Thursday night when he met up with two people he knew at an oil change business.

Violently unthankful.

Continue reading "Massachusetts Assault And Robbery Lead To Arrest For White Collar Crime And Possible Federal Prosecution" »

The Cambridge Police Department is on the hunt for a gentleman who may end up actually being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office in Federal District Court. This time, it is a white collar crime, as well as a crime of violence, and it reads like the backdrop to the 2002 movie “Catch Me If You Can”

The investigation is not a new one. In fact, the Cambridge Police issued an arrest warrant for 45-year old John B. (hereinafter, the “Suspect”) back on April 9th. While the authorities believe the Suspect is still in the area, he has yet to be caught. In the meantime, he keeps changing his identity. His primary two aliases are a gun toting federal agent and, the other, a well-dressed restaurant owner.

While the chase is on, he has been able to cheat his unsuspecting victims out of thousands of dollars.

Police say the Suspect’s method of operation is to meet his victims at their homes under the pretense of selling them a dark blue Chrysler 300. He then robs them or simply drives them somewhere, takes their money and then drives off.

Continue reading "Cambridge Man Suspected Of Armed Robbery, Assault And Larceny Faces Federal Prosecution" »

As winter weather, and Christmas movies, re-enter our lives this year, we are revisited today by a ghost of winters’ past. Yesterday, a “Not Guilty” plea was entered in court on behalf of Gerald H., 47, of Roslindale (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) as his attorney stood beside him. The Defendant was recently paroled from a 18-20 years in involuntary Commonwealth housing. Now, he stands accused of, among other things, armed robbery.

The Defendant was convicted of two homicides during the Blizzard of ’78. The weapons of choice then was apparently both knives and guns. He was convicted of manslaughter for one such stabbing occurring in 1977. The other homicide conviction was for second –degree murder. The crime involved the shooting of a man during an attempted robbery by three youths, one of which being the Defendant. He had been out on bail from the stabbing at the time.

On September 3rd, the Defendant was released from the Boston Pre-Release Center in Roslindale. As of yesterday, his is being held on one million dollars bail and a parole detainer. He is charged with the robbery of more than $21,000 from and the pistol-whipping of a city cab dispatcher.

Law enforcement claims that an officer on a paid detail saw the Defendant hailing another cab, caught up with the cab and arrested the Defendant at gunpoint. Recovered were two shopping bags full of money, a .38 caliber firearm.

Continue reading "Boston Murder Parolee Is Arrested For Robbery And Assault With A Gun" »

On Monday night, a Boston Police Officer, along with his sidekick, a valet, grabbed an alleged knife-wielding carjacker who had robbed a woman of her pocketbook. The chosen victim was a 61-year old female. Now, the suspect needs a good lawyer if he has any hopes of seeing the light of day anytime soon.

It began at approximately 7:31 pm for the officer. He was approached by a parking valet who reported that a woman was just robbed of her purse and the suspect was running down the street. The officer was then supplied with a description of the suspect and directed to the area where he was last seen.

The officer and parking valet then ran down Congress Street towards Quaker Lane where an individual was observed and identified by the parking valet as the perpetrator. As the officer approached Richard M., 48, of Boston (hereinafter, the “Defendant”). The Defendant was apparently seen to be concealing what appeared to be a purse under his shirt. The officer also observed him to have a large knife in his right hand. The officer ordered the suspect to drop the knife to which he complied. At this time, the suspect was given the Commonwealth Bracelets of Shame while the officer further investigated the matter.

Continue reading "Knife-Wielding Boston Robbery Suspect Is Arrested For Assault With Intent To Murder Charges" »

As anyone feeling the weather this week can tell you, Fall is upon us. As we edge ever closer to the winter months, students around the Boston area are settling into their little piece of heaven in the Commonwealth – the campus. However, Heaven is not found here on Earth as two female Boston University students can now tell you. They were robbed at knifepoint and so now, the local police are searching for someone to introduce to defense attorneys.

It happened last Saturday while they were sitting on a bench in front of a university dorm early in the morning. The women told police that their assailant was a white male in his 20s. He approached them at around 4:15 a.m. and threatened them with a knife.

Neither woman was injured, but $50 and a pack of cigarettes was stolen.

It is unknown whether the assailant was also a BU student. University police are investigating with help from Brookline and Boston police.

Continue reading "Boston-Area Schools Provide Criminal Justice Risks For Robbery Victims…And Everyone Else" »

Police in Massachusetts have arrested four people over the brutal beating of a 29-year-old man that took place on Mother’s Day. The four who were apprehended are Roxbury residents Jumoke Marshall and John Benoit, 22, Everett resident Eric Wallace, 19, and a 16-year-old, who is also from Roxbury. The latter, however, was 15 when the beating happened and will be charged as a juvenile.

All four of them faces charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, mayhem, and unarmed robbery.

According to police, the four of them ate the meal of the victim and his friend. The two parties were sitting next to each other at the New Golden Gate restaurant in Boston’s Chinatown. The four suspects then allegedly demanded that the victim and his friend pay for the meal. When the two of them refused to do so and walked away, the other four are accused of attacking the victim in an attempt to commit robbery.

At least one attacker allegedly stepped on the victim’s head at least six times before taking his wallet. The victim’s friend ran away.

The 29-year-old victim sustained a fractured skull, cracked eye sockets, swelling to the brain, permanent cognitive damage, and memory loss.

Allegations of Massachusetts assault can be frightening to face, which is why you should speak to a Boston criminal defense attorney about your case. Many criminal cases are not always what they appear to be on the surface, and an experienced Boston criminal lawyer can make sure your rights are upheld and you get the best defense possible. Some criminal cases are framed in such a way by police and the media that the cards can immediately get stacked against a suspect—unless there is someone to protect him or her.

Man's severe beating leads to four arrests, Boston Globe, October 13, 2009

Arrests made in ‘savage and senseless’ Mother’s Day Beating, Boston Herald, October 13, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon

Mayhem

I grew up in the Boston area. I remember, when I was a kid, my father reading the newspaper and seeing an article that a former friend of his had pleaded guilty to several white collar crimes.
Actually, the reason the gentleman was a “former” friend was that my dad was one of the victims of the alleged fraudulent acts. Until reading that article, my dad had been convinced that his friend had not intentionally misled him to his detriment, but that the unfortunate result had been simply bad luck.

Now, my dad was convinced that he had been duped. “After all”, he said, “Why would the guy plead guilty if he were not guilty?”

It sounded right to me at the time.

Years later, I became a prosecutor in Brooklyn, New York. This was the start of my real education as to how the system works.

My answer to my dad’s question has rung hollow ever since.

Continue reading "Attorney Sam's Take: Charged With A Crime In Boston - What Now?" »

Yesterday, as you may know, was the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. It is known as a day of atonement and many Jews, including this one, fast during the holiday. Perhaps it was because of the day’s lack of food that brought my attention to this particular news story.

Antonio J., 35, of Worcester (hereinafter, the “Defendant”), was apparently quite hungry on August 12, 2009. It was, after all, about 6:45pm, which is around dinner time.

The Defendant happened upon a man who was sitting under a tree eating hot dogs in the park. According to the police, the Defendant mumbled something incoherent to the man. He then made his desire known. “Eat that other dog?” the Defendant asked.

“Yes,” the man replied.

“I’m going to eat it,” the Defendant corrected him as he lifted up his shirt and revealed what appeared to be a handgun.

Continue reading "Theft Of Hot Dog Leads To Armed Robbery Charges And Plea Hearing" »

John K.,27, of Malden (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) is going to have to come up with a lot of money if he wants to go home…unless his lawyer puts in for a bail appeal. Last week, the Taunton District Court judge ordered that be held on $500,000 bail on charges stemming from a Rehoboth home invasion last week.

The Defendant is charged with a collection of charges, including home invasion, assault with a dangerous weapon, armed kidnapping, unlicensed possession of a firearm and masked robbery with a firearm a bit over a week ago in Taunton.

While the details of the incident have been sealed by Judge Richard Savignano, an unusual move in itself, the police have disclosed some information. They claim that the Defendant broke into a home . on Friday at about, bound and robbed a female resident at gunpoint and then drove off in her car.

Rehoboth Police Chief Stephen Enos said the incident appeared to be a random crime. Apparently, however, the spree did not end there.

Continue reading "High Bail Set ForHome Invaision Defendant Facing Assault, Kidnapping and Driving Charges In Two States " »

You know, sometimes it just does not pay to have a conscience! I mean, some Commonwealths just cannot accept an apology without forcing you to get a lawyer.

Take, for example, the case of 31-year-old Juan C., a New York gentleman (hereinafter, the “Defendant”). Saturday night, he was in Lowell when he had a...disagreement with a gas station clerk. Well, it became a bit of a heated disagreement.

Okay, he allegedly pulled a knife and threatened the clerk with it.

Well, ok, that does not look so good I admit. However, the Defendant actually returned to the gas station on Sunday to apologize for his behavior.

The clerk had an interesting way of showing forgiveness...he called the police.

Continue reading "Apologetic Knife-Wielding New Yorker Arrested For Assault With A Dangerous Weapon" »

23-year-old Michael R, (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) had a bad time of it in Cambridge last night. According to the Commonwealth, he was involved in a robbery, before which he fired his gun off. It was an interesting approach, for which he has earned his place in the Boston-area blog and a lawyer.

Of course, law enforcement does not look too kindly upon armed robbers. Even when the treasure sought is so irresistibly valuable as in this case ( an IPhone). They tend to be even less accepting of them when their weapon of choice is a gun and that gun goes off.

The complainant, a 21-year-old Cambridge man, is said to have been drafting a text message on his IPhone when the Defendant approached him from the opposite side of the street. According to the complainant, the Defendant demanded the IPhone.

When the complainant refused to hand over his phone, the Defendant apparently crossed back over to the other side of the street, all the while screaming expletives, The complainant says he then heard two loud bangs, which he believed to be gunshots.

Continue reading "Arrested For Armed Robbery Outside Boston, The Accused Has No Gun" »

This past weekend was a bad one for 20-year-old Vernon C. of New Bedford (hereinafter, the “Defendant”). He was arrested on Sunday and charged with multiple felony charges which have brought him incarceration and a lawyer.

According to the Commonwealth, the Defendant was at a party late Friday night when he demanded a chain necklace from one of his fellow party-goers.

He did so at gunpoint.

21-year-old Scott M. (hereinafter, the “Deceased”) tried to intervene. He was shot for the attempt. He was pronounced dead Saturday afternoon. In a Boston-area hospital.

Continue reading "Murder Suspect Arrested On Multiple Charges Involving Assault And Battery With A Dangerous Weapon" »

The are many theft-related crimes for which one can get arrested in the Boston area. Among the most serious are those of Robbery and Burglary. Both are generally regarded as crimes of violence. Both carry heavy potential prison terms. For both, you had best get an experienced criminal defense attorney to help you at the first possible moment.

The crime of Robbery is basically the taking of someone’s property through use of force. The force can come from a gun, a knife or even a fist. It can be the words “I am going to beat you to a bloody pulp”.

Continue reading "Attorney Sam’s Take: Arrest for Burglary / Arrested for Robbery – What’s The Difference?" »

It happened again last week in the south of Boston island known as Cape Cod. Two gentlemen were arrested for armed robbery of a taxi driver in Oak Bluffs. Soon, they were facing the halls of Justice in Edgartown after the brief investigation. One went to regular court. One met his attorney in Juvenile Court.

It is not a terribly unusual occurrence in today’s criminal justice system. In fact, this daily blog has posted various such stories over the past year.

I started handling cases of adult/juvenile “team-ups” back in Brooklyn when I was a prosecutor. At the time, juveniles became the drug dealer of choice because of a belief in the trade that kids would not be prosecuted. So, they would be paid the “big bucks” to do the actual hand-to-hand sales. Whether the logic was correct then or not…it is not correct now.

Juveniles get prosecuted today and said prosecution can last a lifetime.

Continue reading "Attorney Sam’s Take: A Massachusetts Criminal Defense Lawyer’s View On Juvenile Crime" »

You have been arrested for drug possession. You had some cocaine in your pocket as you were going home last night. You are a visitor to Boston and so brought lots of cash to get you through your visit. As you returned home last night to your hotel, the police thought you looked like a suspect they were looking for in a robbery. The good news is that you were not identified by the "muggee".
The bad news is the police found the cocaine. And the money. Now, you are in custody waiting to meet your defense attorney.

Does this sound like an unlikely scenario to you? It really isn’t. But I have not even hit the worst part yet. Remember that “lots of cash” I mentioned above? That has convinced law enforcement that you were possessing the cocaine with the intent to sell it. Not bad enough yet? How about that you are also being charged with being in said possession in a “school zone”?

That last little charge opens you up to a mandatory sentence to be served after the sentence for the possession with intent to distribute.

Now, not being terribly familiar with Boston, you look at your lawyer in disbelief as he tells you this. You did not see any schools around where you were walking.

The fact is…you did not have to.

Continue reading "Attorney Sam’s Take: Arrested For Drug Possession In A Boston School Zone – What Do You Do? Part Two" »

While we were all watching the recent episodes of “The Professor And The Officer”, did you know that other arrests were taking place? It would appear that even more violent crimes than disorderly conduct were still being committed around the Boston area and defense attorneys were being assigned or retained to handle them.

Let’s take three teenagers in Stoughton who were arrested early Monday morning for armed robbery for example. They stand accused of allegedly robbing a pizza delivery person at knifepoint.

Two adult youths, Reynold E., 18, (hereinafter, “Defendant 1”) and Jeovanni A., 19, (hereinafter, "Defendant 2") were charged with various counts of conspiracy, assault and battery with dangerous weapon, and armed robbery while masked. A 14-year old female (hereinafter, the “Juvenile”) was also charged with similar counts in the alleged conspiracy.

The purported victims were a female delivery person ( hereinafter, the “Employee”)from Papa John’s Pizza and her boyfriend (hereinafter, the “Boyfriend”). After the alleged robbery and assault, they returned to the shop and called 911 in the early hours of Monday morning.

Continue reading "A Defense Attorney Reviews The Evidence As Youths Are Arrested For Robbery And Assault" »