New Bedford Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Shooting of NBPD Det. Lavar Gilbert

FALL RIVER (WBSM) — The man charged in connection with the shooting of New Bedford Police Detective Lavar Gilbert and another person back in July of 2023 pleaded guilty recently to his role in the shooting.

According to Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III, Cheybane Vasconcelos-Furtado, 22, of New Bedford pleaded guilty in Fall River Superior Court on February 14 to being an accessory after the fact of an assault and battery with a firearm.

“I am pleased that the defendant was held accountable for his role in this double shooting where Detective Lavar Gilbert was shot while on duty,” District Attorney Quinn said. “The defendant was also on probation at the time he committed this very serious offense.”

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Detective Gilbert was conducting undercover surveillance in the city’s South End on July 17, 2023, when at approximately 8:28 p.m., a drive-by shooting took place at the intersection of Rivet Street and Orchard Street.

Det. Gilbert was struck in the face while behind the wheel of his vehicle. Another victim, identified as Anthony Ruiz, was struck by gunfire in the foot.

The D.A.’s Office said a 2014 Honda Accord was identified through surveillance video as the suspect vehicle, and the video showed Vasconcelos-Furtado entering the driver’s seat of the vehicle just after 8 p.m. on that night. He then drove to the area of 12 Tallman Street where he picked up three other men.

“As the vehicle approached the intersection of Rivet Street and Orchard Street, a backseat passenger produced a firearm and shot several rounds from the vehicle,” the D.A.’s Office said. “Surveillance video captured muzzle flashes from the rear passenger area of the vehicle and police recovered two spent shell casings in that area. The suspect vehicle was located in Rhode Island the next day and the defendant’s fingerprint was recovered from the front driver’s side.”

Vasconcelos-Furtado was arrested a week later and ordered held without bail.

The D.A.’s Office said he was on probation at the time of the shooting for motor vehicle offenses, which was violated due to the new charges. He was sentenced to one year in the Bristol County House of Correction in Dartmouth for the probation violation.

For pleading guilty to the accessory charge, Vasconcelos-Furtado was sentenced to serve three to five years in state prison.