New Bedford Carjacker Sentenced to State Prison

A 23-year-old New Bedford man who committed an armed carjacking last fall has been sentenced to up to three-and-a-half years in state prison, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

Calixto Smith pleaded guilty last Wednesday in Fall River Superior Court to an indictment charging him with Carjacking While Armed.

On October 10, 2019, at around 11 p.m., a man and his wife were driving in their Acura sedan and stopped at a red light at Cove Road and Orchard Street. The defendant forced his way into the rear seat of the vehicle, brandished a knife, and told the couple to "get the f*ck out of the car," according to a media release from the Bristol County DA. The victim pulled his vehicle into a gas station parking lot on Rockdale Avenue, and he and his wife exited the vehicle. The defendant then exited the rear seat of the vehicle.

However, while all parties were outside the car, the male victim was able to arm himself chase the defendant away with a baseball bat, Quinn's office said.

The defendant was identified and apprehended following a two-month investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Shawn Guilderson and the prison sentence was imposed by Judge Thomas Perrino.

"This case is another example of lawlessness in our cities that cannot be tolerated," Quinn said in a media release.