New Bedford Man Sentenced for Assault on Girlfriend and Her Child

FALL RIVER — A 30-year-old New Bedford man was sentenced to serve up to a decade in state prison for twice assaulting his girlfriend and her young daughter, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

William Osorio pleaded guilty in Fall River Superior Court this week to charges of strangulation, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, kidnapping, witness intimidation and assault and battery on a family or household member.

On June 6, 2016, the defendant, who was on Superior Court Probation for seriously assaulting another individual who witnessed a crime he had committed, started arguing with his girlfriend. During the argument, he slapped her in the face numerous times, and took her phone so she could not call police. The probation department filed a violation and detainer in August, but the defendant was not held.

Then, on October 15, 2016, the defendant again argued with his girlfriend. During the argument, he continuously hit her and told her she wasn’t leaving him or calling the police. The defendant prevented the victim from leaving all night. In the morning, the fight escalated to the point where he was hitting and strangling her. Her young daughter and the daughter’s sleepover friend heard it and tried to intervene, but the defendant hit the daughter in the face. The defendant then armed himself with a knife and stabbed his girlfriend in the leg. The girls were able to call 911 for help while the stabbing was occurring.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Courtney Cahill, the Chief of DA Quinn’s Domestic Violence Unit, and the eight-to-10 years state prison sentence was imposed by Judge Rosemary Connolly.

“This defendant has a history of engaging in violent behavior and is again involved in very violent incident involving children,” District Attorney Quinn said. “The sentence protects the victims and society from this very dangerous person.”

--Bristol County District Attorney's Office