Fall River Man Gets Maximum Sentence for Baseball Bat Assault

FALL RIVER — A Fall River man who assaulted another man with a baseball bat in May 2020 has gotten the maximum jail sentence after he was convicted by a jury in Fall River District Court.

The Bristol County District Attorney's Office said 44-year-old Frederick Stroud was convicted last week of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and will be serving two and a half years in the Bristol County House of Correction.

On May 14, 2020, Fall River Police were called out on a report that a man had been assaulted with a baseball bat.

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During the 911 call, the male victim identified Stroud as the attacker, according to the District Attorney's Office.

When police and paramedics arrived on scene near the Milliken Boulevard Dunkin Donuts, they found the victim with a laceration to the left side of his forehead and a smaller laceration to his right earlobe.

He stated that he was walking home from Dunkin Donuts when he saw Stroud in the passenger seat of a red van.

The van made a U-turn in the middle of the street and pulled alongside him.

Stroud then jumped out of the van and accused the victim of having something to do with his girlfriend losing custody of their children before striking him with a black and green metal baseball bat.

According to the D.A.'s office, Stroud first hit the victim in the stomach before striking him multiple times in the head and neck.

The victim’s glasses were destroyed and his hat was knocked off his head.

He was transported to St. Anne’s Hospital, where he received several stitches for the laceration on his head.

Prior to this most recent incident, Stroud already had an 18-page criminal rap sheet, according to the District Attorney's Office.

“The defendant has a lengthy criminal history of violence and needs to be kept off the street," said Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn.

"I am pleased that jury trials are resuming which is the only way to move cases forward."