Taunton Man Arrested by MSP on Firearms and Assault Charges

TAUNTON — Massachusetts State Troopers from the Department’s fugitive unit and its Dartmouth Barracks, assisted by Fall River and Taunton Police and US Marshals, captured a Taunton man wanted on firearms charges and also for punching his girlfriend in the face and holding her against her will when she tried to end their relationship.

Troopers, Officers and Deputy Marshals found the 30-year-old hiding in a bedroom closet at his mother’s house in Taunton.

The suspect was arrested on two warrants: the default warrant for the initial firearm and ammunition charges, from March 24, when an MSP Trooper stopped the suspect’s car in Fall River and found a magazine containing 10 hollow point bullets; and a second warrant charging him with domestic assault and battery, aggravated assault and battery, and kidnaping for the May 21 attack on his girlfriend.

While being booked at State Police-Dartmouth yesterday, the prisoner made a phone call to the girlfriend whom he had assaulted. During that call, Trooper Michael Pacheco — the same Trooper who made the initial motor vehicle stop in March — heard the suspect tell the victim, in regard to her injuries, that she “better say she fell down.”

Trooper Pacheco then added an additional charge of intimidation of a witness against the prisoner.

MSP cannot release the man’s name because of a law passed several years ago by the Legislature prohibiting release by police agencies of identities of domestic violence offenders in order to protect their victim’s identity.

The first warrant was issued on May 13 when the suspect did not show up for a court appearance related to the March MSP traffic stop charges of unlawful possession of ammunition, unlawful possession of a firearm, committing a firearm violation having committed three prior violent crimes or drug crimes, operating a motor vehicle after license suspension, and giving false identification information to police.

On May 21 Fall River Police responded to a reported assault and found the suspect’s girlfriend bleeding from her mouth from the suspect punching her while he refused to let her leave his proximity. Her tooth was later found on her front porch.
Fall River Police immediately obtained a warrant charging the suspect with the domestic assault crimes.

Troopers from the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, Fall River and Taunton Police Officers, and US Marshals Service Deputies immediately began an exhaustive search for the suspect using a variety of investigative means.

Those efforts paid off yesterday when the man was tracked to his mother’s home and taken into custody.

— Massachusetts State Police