BOSTON, Sept. 28, 2018—A Suffolk Superior Court jury today convicted an East Boston man of murder and other charges for his role in the 2015 fatal shooting of 18-year-old Andres Jaramillo in Revere, Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas said.

Jurors deliberated for about three days before finding LUIS URBAEZ, 33, guilty of second-degree murder for killing Jaramillo, armed assault with intent to murder for shooting at but not hitting a second teen, and unlawful possession of a firearm. He faces a mandatory life term at a sentencing hearing next week.

Over the course of about two weeks, Assistant District Attorney Mark Zanini introduced evidence and testimony proving that an associate of Urbaez had been involved in a physical altercation on Jan. 21, 2015. That night and into the early morning of Jan. 22, Urbaez and his associate went looking for this other combatant and found him in a car on Garfield Avenue with Jaramillo at about 2:00 am. Shots were fired from the defendant’s car into the victims’ car, missing the intended target but striking and killing Jaramillo.

The homicide was investigated by the Suffolk County State Police Detective Unit with the assistance of Revere Police detectives. Based on their efforts and an extensive presentation to the Suffolk County Grand Jury, Urbaez was indicted for first-degree murder and other offenses in December 2015 and arrested a few days later.

Urbaez’ co-defendant will be tried separately next month.

Anite Cetoute was the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate. Urbaez represented himself at trial with attorney Gregory Barison as stand-by counsel. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 4 at 9:00 in courtroom 704.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

BOSTON, Oct. 2, 2019—Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas testified at the State House yesterday in support of a bill filed by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker to improve the process by which people are released on bail or held because of their dangerousness.

In remarks before members of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, Pappas said he supported “An Act to Protect the Commonwealth from Dangerous Persons,” filed last month to update Massachusetts statutes surrounding bail, dangerousness hearings, and other aspects of pre-trial release or detention.

Pappas asked the Committee to adopt the bill, especially a provision that would allow prosecutors to appeal a district or municipal court judge’s abuse of discretion in setting bail. Massachusetts judges have unfettered discretion in setting bail, and while a defendant may appeal a bail order prosecutors may not – even in a case such as the one Pappas described at yesterday’s hearing.

Pappas recounted the case of a man with a prior default in a case charging assault with intent to kill who was charged this summer with indecent assault and battery on the young child of a relative. The Charlestown Municipal Court judge who arraigned the case declined to set cash bail and instead released the defendant to home confinement and GPS monitoring. When informed that the courthouse had no GPS devices, however, the judge rescinded that order and instructed the defendant’s wife to call police if he left the house.

The defendant violated those orders almost immediately, and within days the court heard testimony at a restraining order hearing that he had attended a soccer game where the victim’s mother was present. The court granted a motion for an arrest warrant – only to learn that he had given a false address.

“When the defendant was finally taken back into custody,” Pappas said, “a second judge didn’t just deny prosecutors’ motions to revoke his personal recognizance, to set higher bail, or to impose at least the GPS monitoring that had previously been ordered and then rescinded. This second judge actually relaxed the conditions of his house arrest, effectively rewarding him for violating the terms of his release.”

Pappas also supported provisions within the bill that would allow judges to consider a defendant’s prior history of violence when determining whether to grant a dangerousness hearing and would remove the requirement that prosecutors seek a dangerousness hearing only at arraignment. And he asked lawmakers to look favorably on the bill’s requirement that the courts create and utilize a text-messaging service to notify defendants of upcoming mandatory court appearances.

“For defendants who present neither a public safety threat nor a flight risk, the text message service provision of the Governor’s bill is, to my mind, overdue,” Pappas said. “For these defendants, an automated reminder is sufficient – and perhaps even more effective than monetary bail. At a time when our own SJC notes that cellular phones are used by almost everyone for almost everything, there is no reason for our courts not to explore their efficacy in this regard.”

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

BOSTON, Oct. 2, 2019— Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas this week welcomed a visiting prosecutor from Singapore who will spend the next six months observing some of Suffolk County’s most experienced prosecutors as they work.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ang Feng Qian of Singapore’s Attorney-General’s Chambers will complete a six-month rotation with Pappas’ office observing criminal proceedings in the District, Superior, and Appellate courts. Qian’s first three months with the office will be spent within the Homicide Unit, followed by three months assigned to the office’s Special Prosecutions Unit, which prosecutes financial and internet-based crimes as well as offenses committed by public employees.

Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas welcomed prosecutor Ang Feng Qian of the Singapore Attorney-General’s Chambers to his office for a six-month rotation with his Homicide, Special Prosecutions, and Community Engagement units.

“In and out of court, victims are at the center of everything we do as a modern prosecutor’s office,” Pappas said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to share with other agencies the innovative work we’re doing here in Suffolk County to better serve the victims, witnesses, and communities that rely on us every day – as well as the opportunity for the exchange of ideas and knowledge that make this type of international partnership so fruitful.”

The partnership was facilitated by the National District Attorneys Association, which recommended the Suffolk DA’s office as a host last year, and the Singapore Attorney-General’s Chambers, which is funding it.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

BOSTON, October 5, 2018— An East Boston man was sentenced to prison today for sexually abusing a young boy as the child slept, Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas said.

A Suffolk Superior Court jury last week convicted CELVYN MEJIA, 26, of indecent assault and battery on a child in connection with the 2017 assault; jurors acquitted Mejia of assault with intent to rape. During a sentencing hearing today, Judge Robert Tochka imposed a term of three to five years in state prison.

During the course of more than three days of testimony, Assistant District Attorney Alissa Goldhaber of the DA’s Child Protection Unit introduced evidence and testimony to prove that Mejia was an invited guest at a child’s birthday party at an East Boston apartment that began on March 4, 2017, and continued into the early morning hours of March 5 as adults continued to socialize and younger guests slept in one of the apartment’s bedrooms. The victim was also in attendance at the party but was a stranger to Mejia.

During the night, the victim awoke to find a highly intoxicated Mejia on top of him and touching him inappropriately. Hearing the child crying, another adult entered the room. Adults at the party called 911 and attempted to prevent Mejia from fleeing. He was able to leave the apartment but was later arrested.

Before Mejia’s sentence was imposed, Goldhaber read aloud a victim impact statement prepared by the victim.

“I was terrified. I was crying and he wouldn’t let me leave…. This wasn’t fair. Why me? Why did I deserve this?” he wrote. “When I spoke up about this, I felt good and brave. My #1 goal was to make sure this would never happen to anyone else.”

“Cases like this can be among the most challenging we deal with as prosecutors,” Pappas said. “But as difficult as they are for us, they’re even more difficult for the children who live through these events and testify before a courtroom full of strangers about the intimate details of their trauma. I’m proud of the victim for his strength and resilience, and I’m grateful to my staff who worked to hold his abuser accountable.”

Catherine McGuane was the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate. Mejia was represented by Alyssa Hackett.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

BOSTON, October 9, 2018—During their separate arraignments today, the men charged in the murders of 19-year-old Terrell White and 63-year-old Jose L. Williams were each ordered held without bail, Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas said.

KEVIN D. WILLIAMS, 21, was arraigned today in Dorchester Municipal Court in Jose Luis Williams’ murder and related firearm charges. Also arraigned today in the same court was KAI HARRIS, 27, in connection with White’s shooting death. Harris is additionally charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and being a Level 2 Armed Career Criminal based on prior convictions for armed robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon. Judge Jonathan Tynes ordered both men held without bail.

Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Hickman told the court that Boston Police officers in the area of 528 Washington Street at approximately 11:35 p.m. Saturday heard gunshots, which additionally activated the city’s ShotSpotter system. Upon arrival, officers found Jose L. Williams suffering from a gunshot wound. Kevin Williams, who is not related to the victim, was located in the area a short time later and matched the description of the suspect provided by a witness. During the course of the investigation, he was positively identified as the shooter, prosecutors said.

During a separate proceeding, Assistant District Attorney Julie Higgins told the court that at approximately 11:30 Sunday morning, officers patrolling in the area of Itasca Street heard gunfire and observed shots coming from a red Honda. One officer remained at the scene with White, who was wounded and later succumbed to his injuries at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Other officers pursued the Honda a short distance before the stopped. Harris allegedly fled from the driver’s side of the vehicle but was apprehended by police, prosecutors said.

Anite Cetoute and Erin O’Connor are the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocates. Williams was represented by Aviva Jeruchim and returns to court Nov. 19. Harris is represented by Eduardo Masferrer and is scheduled to return to court Nov. 20.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Faces Sentencing Tomorrow

BOSTON, Oct. 10, 2018—The driver who struck a pedestrian in Chinatown and dragged her from Chinatown to Route 93 pleaded guilty yesterday and faces sentencing tomorrow, Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas said.

XIAO YING ZHOU, 47, of Sandwich pleaded guilty to the indicted charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, leaving the scene of a collision causing personal injury, and negligent operation of a motor vehicle in connection with the 2016 collision that left the victim, now 51, with life-altering injuries.

Prosecutors will recommend a lengthy state prison sentence at a hearing tomorrow afternoon, Pappas said.

Had the case proceeded to trial, Assistant District Attorney Robert Connelly of the DA’s Major Felony Bureau would have introduced evidence and testimony proving that Zhou was behind the wheel of a Toyota RAV4 in the early morning hours of Feb. 1, 2016, when she struck the victim and her husband as they crossed Kneeland Street in Chinatown. Connelly would have shown that Zhou did not stop and that the female victim was trapped beneath the vehicle as Zhou travelled south and made her way southbound on Route 93.

The woman suffered grievous injuries but survived. She requires a walker for mobility, needs help with basic daily activities such as dressing and bathing, and lost the ability to grip objects with her right hand. She underwent extensive skin grafts because of injuries to her face, torso, and legs. Both she and her husband are expected to appear at tomorrow’s sentencing hearing.

Erin O’Connor is the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate. Zhou is represented by attorney Michelle Troiano. Judge Peter Krupp will impose sentencing in courtroom 815 of Suffolk Superior Court at 2:00 tomorrow afternoon.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

BOSTON, October 10, 2018—A longtime member of Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas’ executive staff was sworn in today as a member of the Restorative Justice Advisory Committee created by statute earlier this year.

Director of Community Engagement Kara Hayes, who has served in the Suffolk DA’s office for 30 years, was sworn in at the Massachusetts State House as a member of the restorative justice panel created through legislation that was passed into law this spring. The committee is tasked with reviewing community-based restorative justice programs across the state and making policy recommendations, including performance measurements and training requirements.

Director of Community Engagement Kara Hayes is sworn in as a member of the state’s Restorative Justice Advisory Committee at the Massachusetts State House.

“Kara’s work in restorative justice spans almost 20 years,” Pappas said. “She was instrumental in facilitating our office’s first restorative justice training in 2003 and created programming that brings our staff together with survivors and defendants in RJ circles. With this appointment, the Commonwealth as a whole will benefit from her wisdom, experience, and survivor-centered guidance. She is an excellent choice to serve on the state’s restorative justice advisory committee.”

Hayes began her career as a victim witness advocate and led the office’s Victim Witness Assistance Program before taking her current assignment overseeing community outreach initiatives across Suffolk County. She began training in restorative justice practices 18 years ago; wrote her MPA thesis on restorative justice implementation in Boston; and currently helps facilitate restorative justice centered programming with the Youthful Offender Coalition at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Norfolk.

Today’s swearing-in marks the beginning of Hayes’ 6-year appointment to the 17-member committee.

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BOSTON, Oct. 15, 2018—Three men have been indicted in connection with the shooting death this summer of 29-year-old Christian Rivera on Homestead Street, and two of them were arraigned today following their arrests late last week, Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas said.

The Suffolk County Grand Jury on Friday returned indictments charging DEMETRIUS BENNETT, 27, and ADNAN TAHLIL, 24, with first-degree murder. Both men were arrested late Friday by Boston Police and arraigned today in Suffolk Superior Court, where Clerk Magistrate Rebeca Figueroa ordered them held without bail.

A third defendant, IRA HARRISON, was indicted Sept. 27; he has been held without bail since his July 19 arraignment in Roxbury Municipal Court and will be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court at a later date.

Assistant District Attorney David Bradley of the DA’s Homicide Unit told the court that Bennett, Harrison, and Tahlil met up behind Harrison’s house between 2:20 and 2:30 pm on the afternoon of July 7. In two vehicles – a Hyundai Sonata and Chevrolet Equinox – they traveled from that location to the area of Humboldt Avenue, where Rivera was outdoors and standing with a group of people. Both vehicles passed by Rivera and the group, Bradley said.

Two men exited the Sonata a short distance away from the shooting scene, approached the group on foot, and opened fire, killing Rivera. Prosecutors say those men were Bennett and Harrison, and that they then fled on foot to the nearby Equinox, operated by Tahlil, who drove them away from the scene.

Jennifer Sears is the DA’s assigned victim witness advocate. Bennet is represented by John Sweeney and Tahlil by Jonathan Shapiro; both return to court Nov. 20. Harrison is represented by David Apfel and faces arraignment in Superior Court at a later date.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt

BOSTON, Oct. 29, 2018—A man serving a prison sentence for murder in Montana was arraigned today in the fatal beating six years ago of 45-year-old Normand Varieur, Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas said today.

KEVIN LINO, 31, was arraigned today in Suffolk Superior Court on an August indictment charging him with first-degree murder. At the request of Assistant District Attorney Julie Higgins of the DA’s Homicide Unit, Clerk Magistrate Edward Curley ordered that Lino be held without bail.

Lino is currently serving a 40-year prison sentence in Montana, where he previously pleaded guilty to the 2013 murder of a homeless man.

Higgins told the court that Lino and Varieur were among a group of homeless individuals who would often sleep in the area of Paul Revere Park in Charlestown. During the course of a six-year investigation, State Police detectives assigned to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office collected evidence – including statements made by witnesses and the defendant as well as medical evidence – suggesting that Lino beat Varieur over the course of several hours on the night of May 20, 2012, after the men became involved in an argument. Varieur was found unresponsive the following day and transported to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he died of blunt force injuries to his head and torso.

Erin O’Connor is the DA’s assigned victim witness advocate. Lino is represented by C. Henry Fasoldt. He returns to court Dec. 6.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

BOSTON, November 5, 2018— An annual Domestic Violence Awareness fundraiser hosted by Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas and his staff last week raised $2,800 to support services for victims.

Now in its fifth year, the fundraising event held Thursday night at Bell in Hand Tavern supported Casa Myrna Vasquez, Inc., which provides shelter and services for victims of intimate partner violence and their children and responds to nearly 25,000 calls each year through the statewide domestic violence hotline SafeLink.

Last week’s event generated $2,800 for Casa Myrna, including money raised through ticket sales, raffles of more than a dozen prizes, and a silent auction. Among the generous donors who helped make the event a success were Allstate Foundation Purple Purse, Boston Roller Derby, Boxer Hotel, Capital Grille, Dellaria Salons, The Fours Restaurant and Sports Bar, ICA Boston, Lambert’s Rainbow Market, Legal Sea Foods, Liberty Hotel, Monument Restaurant & Tavern, Roche Bros., West on Centre, Wine Country Gift Baskets, and Shannon Settana, who donated a football autographed by Tom Brady that was auctioned at Thursday’s event. In addition, Bell in Hand Tavern once again this year provided their private event space for the fundraiser.

“Too often, victims of domestic violence believe that they’re to blame for their partner’s abuse, that no one cares, or that there’s no one who will help,” Pappas said. “But there is help, and I hope that this event has raised awareness of the services available from dedicated and compassionate staff at Casa Myrna and from Suffolk prosecutors and advocates who work to help domestic violence survivors every day.”

Casa Myrna was founded in 1977 by volunteers in Boston’s South End to provide a safe haven to victims of domestic violence and today provides shelter, financial literacy education, job readiness programs, counseling, advocacy and other services for survivors, as well as domestic violence awareness and prevention programs for teens and adults. The organization was named for Myrna Vazquez, an actress and activist who organized members of South End’s Puerto Rican community.

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BOSTON, November 5, 2018—Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas last week welcomed a group of officials from the Philippines as they begin a month-long fellowship focused on improving the prosecution of government corruption.

Attorneys Maria Janina J. Hidalgo, Czarina May C. Altez-Domingo, and Melissa Christina S. Santos of the Filipino corruption investigation agency Office of the Ombudsman on Friday met with Pappas and members of his Special Prosecutions Unit, which prosecutes white-collar crime and offenses committed by public employees. The visiting attorneys arrived in Boston last week for a month-long International Justice Sector Education Training Fellowship through a program of the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative. The program aims to help the group gain the knowledge necessary to help their government develop reforms to enhance the efficiency and impact of corruption prosecutions.

Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas and members of his staff on Friday met with visiting prosecutors from the Philippines through the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative’s International Justice Sector Education and Training Fellowship program.

“There is no greater honor than a career in public service, but when government employees abuse their authority or act without integrity, it threatens the public’s trust in the very institutions created to serve them,” Pappas said. “Our Special Prosecutions Unit preserves that trust through its daily work and made the most out of this meeting to share and compare strategies.”

The International Justice Sector Education and Training Fellowship connects teams from various countries with month-long fellowships offering institutional visits, mentorship, training, and other assistance to support the implementation of strategic reforms in their public agencies. Suffolk prosecutors also hosted a group of Serbian prosecutors through the program earlier this year.

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BOSTON, November 8, 2018— Three men who undertook the 2016 murder of 41-year-old Shawn Borden were found guilty of all charges this afternoon, Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas said.

A Suffolk Superior Court jury deliberated for approximately one day before finding TYSHAWN CUMMINGS, 23; TYSHAWN SANDERS, 20; and JAMARI MANNING, 23, guilty of first-degree murder under the theory of deliberate premeditation. Jurors also convicted the three men of unlawful possession of a firearm and carrying a loaded firearm. All of them face a term of life in prison without the possibility of parole – the mandatory term for first-degree murder.

“This was an ambush,” Pappas said. “We believe it was carefully planned by all three participants sharing one deadly motive. The jury held each defendant accountable for his role, and I hope their verdict can give some small measure of comfort to Mr. Borden’s family and loved ones.”

During two weeks of testimony, Assistant District Attorney Catherine Ham of the DA’s Homicide Unit presented evidence and testimony to prove that, on Oct. 18, 2016, a vehicle operated by Manning with Cummings as the front seat passenger drove down Dorchester Avenue, where they observed Borden vacuuming a vehicle outside with members of his family. Manning and Cummings were captured by a surveillance camera in the area, and Cummings was additionally placed at the location by a GPS monitor he had been ordered to wear as a condition of his open bail on an unrelated gun case.

Approximately 20 to 30 minutes prior to the shooting, the evidence showed, Manning and Cummings picked up Sanders and drove to a location on Dorchester Avenue, passing the victim once again. The evidence showed that Manning and Cummings waited inside the vehicle in the area of Silloway and Mather streets while Sanders exited the vehicle and walked to the intersection of Mather Street and Dorchester Avenue, where he opened fire. He then fled back to the waiting vehicle; Manning and Cummings dropped Sanders off at his home minutes after the shooting.
Borden was transported to Boston Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries on Oct. 25, 2016.

Anite Cetoute is the DA’s assigned victim witness advocate. Cummings was represented by William White, Sanders by Frank Spillane, and Manning by David Grimaldi. Sentencing will take place Nov. 16.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

BOSTON, Nov. 9, 2018—A tennis coach was arraigned today on charges that he indecently assaulted a student at a lesson this summer, Suffolk County District Attorney John Pappas said.

ERIC ROSALES, 57, of Allston is charged with three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 for the Aug. 8 incident. Assistant District Attorney Khyati Short recommended $5,000 cash bail and orders that Rosales have no contact with the victim or any child under 16, wear a GPS monitor, and surrender his passport if he is released; Judge Myong Joun released him on his own recognizance, granted the no-contact orders, and declined to impose GPS monitoring.

Rosales allegedly had improper, unwanted, and repeated physical contact with the girl during a tennis lesson at a Nonantum Avenue court. The victim later disclosed the incident to a family member and participated in a forensic interview at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County. Based on that interview and evidence developed in the investigation that followed, Boston Police detectives obtained a complaint charging Rosales with the assault.

“Cases like this one are a reminder for us as parents and caregivers to be open and accessible when kids and teens need to talk,” Pappas said. “It’s up to us to make clear that they can come to us for help with anything that makes them uncomfortable, whether it’s online or in real life. Prosecutors know how tough those conversations can be, and we always put the victim’s safety, comfort, and well-being first – no matter who they are, where they’re from, or how young or old they might be.”

Rosales was represented today by attorney Jamison House. He will return to court on Dec. 7.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

BOSTON, Nov. 9, 2018—Suffolk County prosecutors today asked a Dorchester Municipal Court judge to release on personal recognizance the man charged last month in the fatal shooting of Jose Luis Phinn Williams, citing the continued investigation into the homicide.

KEVIN D. WILLIAMS, 21, is charged with murder and firearms offenses in the Oct. 6 homicide at 528 Washington St. The charges remain in place and Williams is due back in court on Nov. 19, but prosecutors recommended that he be released while they continue to gather facts and evidence through the Suffolk County Grand Jury.

Since Williams’ arraignment on Oct. 9, investigators have reviewed phone records, surveillance videos, and other electronic data; executed search warrants; interviewed multiple witnesses; and presented testimony to the Suffolk County Grand Jury. Those efforts, prosecutors said today, have generated substantial evidence and now warrant the defendant’s release on personal recognizance.

The investigation by Boston Police and Suffolk prosecutors into all aspects of Jose Williams’ homicide remains very active. Anyone with information on the fatal shooting, no matter how minor it may seem, is asked to share it with the Boston Police Homicide Unit at 617-343-4470.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

DA Sought Defendant’s Release on Personal Recognizance Last Week

BOSTON, Nov. 16, 2018—One week after they asked a judge to release him from jail on personal recognizance, Suffolk County prosecutors today filed paperwork withdrawing the murder case against KEVIN WILLIAMS, 21, who was charged last month with the shooting death of 67-year-old Jose Luis Phinn Williams in Dorchester.

Suffolk District Attorney John P. Pappas said the decision was based on a review of the evidence gathered and analyzed since the night of Jose Williams’ homicide and Kevin Williams’ arrest. Pappas said that Boston police and Suffolk prosecutors had jointly agreed the case warranted further investigation and that “the ethical step was to withdraw the charges prior to the first scheduled court date as that investigation continues.”

Prosecutors said Williams’ arrest was supported by a detailed description of the assailant by an independent percipient witness at the scene; a positive identification of Williams as the gunman; and corroborating video footage – circumstances that clearly supported probable cause for the initial charges. In the weeks that followed, detectives continued to seek and gather evidence from multiple sources, and prosecutors fought in court obtain potentially exculpatory evidence from Williams’ attorney and were forced to send grand jury subpoenas in order to obtain alibi testimony.

On Nov. 9, prosecutors determined that the totality of facts did not require Williams’ pre-trial detention, and they affirmatively filed a motion to release him on his own recognizance. Today, after a week of additional investigation that included analysis of expedited forensic testing, they concluded that the evidence was insufficient to establish guilt or innocence and filed a nolle prosequi – a legal document withdrawing the charges.

“We don’t force the evidence to fit the case,” said Pappas, whose office notified the victim’s family and defendant’s attorney of the development. “We follow the facts wherever they lead, and today they led us to this decision. The investigation remains open, it remains active, and it remains a priority for us.”

Jose Williams suffered fatal gunshot injuries shortly after 11:30 on the night of Oct. 6 as he worked a shift at the Fabian Gas Station at 528 Washington St. in Dorchester. Anyone with information on the shooting, no matter how minor it may appear, is urged to share it with Boston Police homicide detectives at 617-343-4700.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

BOSTON, November 20, 2018— An East Boston woman has been charged with drunk driving in connection with a weekend crash that left a scooter operator critically injured, Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas said.

MARCELLA CASTIELLO, 32, of East Boston was arraigned yesterday in Boston Municipal Court on charges of operating under the influence of liquor causing serious injury, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and a marked lanes violation. Judge Tracy-Lee Lyons imposed bail of $1,000 – the same amount Castiello had posted following her arrest early Sunday morning – and ordered Castiello not to drive while her case is pending.

The investigation by State Police investigators assigned to the Suffolk County Detective Unit and Troop H suggests that Castiello was behind the wheel of a black Mercedes Benz in the area of Frontage Road and Kneeland Street when she struck the scooter at approximately 2:15 a.m. Sunday. Castiello remained on scene after the crash. Her vehicle sustained damage to the front end and windshield, and there were noodles and Chinese food stuck to the windshield and along the vehicle.

The victim – a 39-year-old man – was transported to Tufts Medical Center with critical injuries.

While speaking with State Police, Troopers noted that Castiello’s speech was slurred and detected an odor of alcohol as she spoke. Castiello allegedly made statements that she had consumed “one drink” while celebrating at a restaurant prior to the crash and that the scooter operator “must have been drinking” and swerved into her lane. She failed a series of field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest.

Video of the crash captured by a Department of Transportation camera shows Castiello’s Mercedes traveling at a high rate of speed in the right travel lane of Frontage Road and passing by other vehicles. The Mercedes struck the moped from behind, throwing the victim onto the vehicle’s windshield and into the air before he landed on the roadway. Castiello’s vehicle then drove over the scooter, causing visible sparks, before coming to a stop 50 yards from the scooter’s resting place.

Castiello returns to court Feb. 2.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

BOSTON, Nov. 23, 2018—The two men who allegedly dragged 18-year-old Kemoni Miller alongside their car during a robbery now face murder charges after the young man died of the injuries they allegedly caused, Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas and State Police Colonel Kelly Gilpin said today.

Miller died at Boston Medical Center Wednesday morning after four days on life support. Later that day, prosecutors approved murder charges against DEJON BARNES, 18, and KENNETH FORD, 23, who had previously been charged with unarmed robbery for the Nov. 16 encounter that left Miller grievously injured.

The investigation, led by State Police assigned to the Suffolk County Detective Unit with the assistance of Troop H detectives and Boston Police, suggests that Miller had negotiated the sale of an iPhone XS to Barnes online. On Friday night, the evidence suggests, he met with Barnes and Ford on Gallivan Boulevard. The defendants allegedly travelled to the scene in a vehicle rented by Ford’s friend. From the passenger’s seat, Barnes allegedly took the phone and closed his window on Miller’s arm as Ford accelerated at a high rate of speed.

Miller was dragged about half a mile and suffered a life-threatening head injury when he fell from the car. He was transported to Boston Medical Center but never regained consciousness.

Utilizing cell phone records, text messages, witness statements, video footage, and other evidence, investigators identified Barnes as the individual who had offered to buy the phone from Miller and Ford as the driver of the vehicle that dragged him. State Police arrested both men at a party in the West End early Sunday morning.

Barnes and Ford were initially charged with unarmed robbery and held on $100,000 cash bail each at their Nov. 19 arraignments. Their arraignments on the murder charges have not yet been scheduled. They are expected to return to court on Dec. 4 with attorneys Jeff Chapdelaine and Jeff Garland.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

BOSTON, Nov. 26, 2018—The New Hampshire who allegedly threatened mass shootings in calls to at least two Boston bars earlier this month was arraigned today following his arrest in Seabrook last week, District Attorney John Pappas said.

The 16-year-old juvenile, whose last fixed address was in Hampton, NH, was apprehended by Seabrook Police on Friday night. During a hearing at the 10th Circuit Family Division of Portsmouth Court today, he waived rendition proceedings on Massachusetts complaints charging him with delinquency, to wit: threatening to use deadly weapons, threatening to do bodily harm, and a civil rights violation. He was transported to the Boston Juvenile Court, where Judge Peter Coyne set bail at $1,000.

The charges stem from threatening calls made on Nov. 9 and 10 to two bars serving Boston’s gay community. The prosecutors and police detectives investigating the threats believe the calls were not made using a traditional cell phone number, which would have been linked with subscriber information identifying the phone’s owner. Instead, the evidence suggests, they were placed through a smartphone app that allows the user to make phone calls and send text messages through wireless internet.

Investigators identified the phone number assigned to the app and obtained the user name, email address, and alternate phone number that were entered when it was first installed. In the days that followed, they undertook extensive efforts to identify the person who created the account and determine whether he or she was the same individual who made the threatening calls.

By following a trail of defunct email addresses and reassigned phone numbers, investigators established that the juvenile had first installed and used the app on April 7, 2016. By checking the call records associated with his account, they established that the app had been used to send and receive dozens of calls and text messages to and from one of the juvenile’s close family members at around the same time as calls to two bars that reported telephoned threats to “kill everyone” and “shoot everyone in the bar” on the evenings of Nov. 9 and 10.

The records also suggest calls made to several other Boston bars serving the gay community during the same time period. Investigators are following up with staff at those establishments to determine whether additional charges are warranted.

The juvenile was represented today by attorney Ziyad Hopkins. He returns to court on Dec. 10.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

BOSTON, November 26, 2018—As jury selection was set to begin today in his Suffolk Superior Court rape trial, a man pleaded guilty to charges he sexually assaulted a female acquaintance, Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas said.

JEROME HAIRSTON, 49, who does not have a fixed address, today pleaded guilty to rape as a subsequent offense and strangulation in connection with the 2016 attack on a woman inside the home of Hairston’s relative. Assistant District Attorney Jillian Hira of the DA’s Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Unit recommended a term of 18 to 20 years in state prison. Judge Elizabeth Fahey sentenced Hairston to six to eight years in state prison followed by four years of probation during which he must have no contact with the victim, maintain his sex offender registry status, and complete sex offender evaluation and treatment.

Had the case proceeded to trial, Hira would have presented evidence and testimony to prove that the victim was visiting a relative of Hairston at a Northampton Street apartment on the evening of Nov. 6, 2016. Hairston was also present. After the relative left the apartment to go to the store, Hairston sexually assaulted and then strangled the victim, the evidence would have proved.

The victim was able escape the apartment and reported the assault to a security guard, who contacted Boston Police. Responding officers located Hairston inside the apartment and placed him under arrest.

Hairston was previously convicted of rape of a child in 1988.

Sexual assault can happen to anyone, Pappas said. While the victims of any crime are asked to call 911 in an emergency, survivors of sexual violence can also call their local rape crisis center for free and confidential services and to discuss their options. Support is available for all survivors of sexual violence, regardless of whether they wish to take part in a criminal prosecution. Services by city and town can be found at www.janedoe.org/find_help/search.

In Suffolk County, the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center offers a free and confidential 24-hour hotline at 800-841-8371. The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center provides medical accompaniment and many other free services to victims of rape and sexual assault. Suffolk victim-witness advocates can assist in referrals to BARCC and a wide array of non-profit service providers who can offer additional support and services.

“Survivors of sexual assault can count on Suffolk prosecutors and victim advocates to provide a safe, confidential, victim-centered environment,” Pappas said.

Anne Kelley-McCarthy was the DA’s assigned victim witness advocate. Hairston was represented by Joshua Raiser-Cohn.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

BOSTON, Nov. 28, 2018—Twenty-three-year-old Lodimira DosSantos was shot to death in her Bickford Street home by a former intimate partner in a case of deadly domestic violence, Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas said.

“Domestic violence is about power and domination,” Pappas said. “Lodimira’s murder was committed by a man who could not or would not relinquish control over her, even in the very place she should have been safest – her own home.”

The investigation into her Nov. 19 homicide revealed that Jose M. DosSantos, 32, traveled to the victim’s home that evening armed with knife and a 9mm handgun threatening to kill her and himself. He stabbed a 33-year-old male also present at the scene when that man attempted to intervene on Lodimira DosSantos’ behalf, causing injuries that were not life-threatening; an adult female who was also present was not physically injured.

Witness statements and medical evidence establish that he shot Lodimira and then himself. Their injuries were fatal. Boston Police and Boston EMS responded to the scene and all three injured parties were transported to area hospitals. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Lodimira DosSantos’ death a homicide and Jose DosSantos’ death a suicide.

Records show that the assailant possessed an active license to carry firearms issued in the town of Randolph. He and the victim shared a last name but were not married.

“Domestic violence can take many forms,” Pappas said. “It occurs in relationships of all types, across every demographic. If you or a loved one see the red flags of verbal abuse, controlling behavior, or physical violence, please don’t hesitate to reach out for help.”

Pappas said his office and police departments across Suffolk County have experienced investigators sensitive to the needs of domestic violence victims and survivors. The victims of any crime, including domestic violence, should call 911 in an emergency; SafeLink, a statewide DV hotline, can be reached at 877-785-2020. SafeLink is answered by trained advocates 24 hours a day in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, as well as TTY at 877-521-2601. It also has the capacity to provide multilingual translation in more than 140 languages.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.