Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced today that a 21-year-old New Bedford man was sentenced to serve five to seven years in state prison Friday afternoon after being convicted of a violent January armed robbery at a Coggeshall Street convenience store.

Jose Sanchez, who was charged with two counts of armed robbery while masked and one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, submitted an “unagreed plea” to Superior Court Judge Rene Dupuis Friday afternoon in Fall River Superior Court.

Assistant District Attorney Aaron Strojny argued for a seven to 10 year state prison sentence, while Mr. Sanchez’s defense attorney had recommended a there to four year prison sentence. After hearing arguments from both sides, Judge Dupuis sentenced Mr. Sanchez to serve five to seven years in state prison, to be followed by five years of supervised probation to begin upon his release from prison.

On January 8, 2015 at around 4:30 a.m., Mr. Sanchez and juvenile co-defendants entered the Petro-Mart convenience store while brandishing what appeared to be a firearm. Mr. Sanchez grabbed the clerk, kicked and beat him with the apparent firearm. The victim suffered severe injuries, including broken ribs and a fractured orbital bone. The store was then ransacked, and cigarettes and cash were stolen. While the robbery was occurring, a customer entered the store and was also robbed of his wallet.

After a few days of investigation by New Bedford Police, detectives developed information that Mr. Sanchez and his juvenile accomplices were selling the stolen cigarettes out of his home at 3 Mitchell Street. When police executed a search warrant at that address, they located the stolen cigarettes and found two fake guns, along with a starter pistol. The defendant had only been residing in New Bedford for about two weeks before the robbery occurred. He had previously been living in Connecticut.

“This was a senseless act of violence that left the victim with severe injuries to his face and ribs. The clerk was doing nothing but working an overnight shift to support himself. He did not deserve to be the victim of such a violent act. I am proud of the investigatory work of the New Bedford Police Department to ensure this defendant would face justice,” District Attorney Quinn said. “I am pleased with this prison sentence because it sends a clear message that we will fight to protect innocent victims and that those who are causing violence in our communities will be held accountable.”

On October 24, 2015, at 11 p.m., the State Police Barracks in Danvers received reports of a pedestrian struck on Route 1 in Saugus. Trooper Scott Ryans responded to the scene with other State Police patrols and located a 33-year-old New York man who had been struck by a vehicle as he crossed Route 1. The victim was in the middle lane of Route 1 southbound when he was struck. Witnesses at the scene stated a red vehicle struck the man and continued South on Route 1 without stopping. The victim was transported to Melrose-Wakefield Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 11:26 p.m.

The State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section and Crime Scene Services Section responded to the scene to assist in the investigation. Also assisting at the scene were the Saugus Police Department, Saugus Fire Department and MassDOT.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. The identification of the deceased victim is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. No further information is available at this time. Please do not contact the barracks.

Mass in Motion New Bedford (MiM NB) was recently chosen as one of 20 organizations in New England to receive a Healthy Food Fund grant from the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation. This funding, totaling $29,095, will allow MiM NB to implement a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program at two New Bedford public housing sites in partnership with two local farms, to deliver fresh fruits and vegetables directly to residents over 20 weeks beginning next summer. The grant is renewable for two years.

“We are so excited about this project,” says Kim Ferreira, MiM NB director. “Because affordable and reliable transportation can be a challenge for many New Bedford residents, this program cuts out that piece – residents won’t have to worry about driving to get fresh and local vegetables, the produce will be dropped off right at their door.”

“In New Bedford, we’re leading the charge when it comes to recognizing our challenges and mobilizing to address them at the community level through collaboration and creativity. With each new initiative Mass in Motion undertakes, they move our city in a healthier direction. We’re lucky to have outstanding leadership at Mass in Motion, and such willing and able partners across the region dedicated to making New Bedford a healthier place,” said Mayor Jon Mitchell.

Modeled after a program between the Mass Department of Transitional Assistance, the Greater New Bedford Community Health Center, and Project Bread, MiM NB has partnered with Apponagansett Farm and Round the Bend Farm, both located in Dartmouth, to create a weekly, affordable CSA share that can feed up to a family of four.

“We believe that everyone should have access to high-quality, locally grown food regardless of where they live or their economic status,” says Susan Murray, co-owner of Apponagansett Farm.

CSAs are a share of the farm’s weekly harvest; the size and price are pre-determined, and participants pay for the share up front at the beginning of the season, and receive the vegetables and fruits that are harvested that week. Through this program, participants are able to pay monthly instead of once at the beginning of the season, and a portion of the share will be subsidized by the Healthy Food Fund grant, while the recipient will pay for the other portion, either with SNAP benefits or cash.

Each week, the farmers will deliver the CSA shares to participating families and individuals living at Ben Rose and Presidential Heights; sites that house a Resident Coordinator. These coordinators play a critical role since they will assist in recruiting families for the shares. (The United Way of Greater New Bedford recently funded a Resident Coordinator position at Ben Rose, whose role will be enhanced through this grant.) In addition to food delivery, MiM NB will coordinate healthy cooking demonstrations and other educational workshops to encourage residents and community members in general, to eat more fresh and local fruits and vegetables.

“Knowing that transportation has always been a barrier for many of our residents, we are excited to be able to offer a program that eliminates that issue, bringing fresh produce right to our residents’ doors,” says Steven Beauregard, Executive Director of the New Bedford Housing Authority. “We are excited to be a part of this initiative that not only delivers fresh, local produce directly to our families, but also educates them on how to prepare, cook, and store the vegetables.”

MiM NB also built in funding to take participating families on a visit to each farm so participants can see, one-on-one, exactly where their food is coming from. Ultimately, the goal will be to create a CSA share that is the right size and price that residents will purchase the full share without the need for a subsidy, and still allowing the farmer to make a profit.

In their press release, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation President, Karen Voci said, “While we are supporting community growers and markets on the supply side, we are also helping programs that build consumer demand for health food…That’s great for our health, for our environment, and for our economy.”

Ashley Brister, produce farmer at Round the Bend Farm would like to meet that demand.“For over a decade, Ashley has been involved in farming and has dreamed of creating more space for healthy food access in New Bedford, as the team at Round the Bend believes healthy and nutritious food is medicine for every cell of your body and that everyone deserves access to healthy food,” says Desa Van Laarhoven, RTB Director.

Starting in 2015, the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation began expanding its focus on preventing childhood obesity to help families and communities eat healthier by launching the Harvard Pilgrim Health Food Fund. This grants program is aimed at supporting health food initiatives that increase access to fresh, healthy, and whenever possible, local food for families and communities in all of Harvard Pilgrim’s five markets across the region.
Mass in Motion is a statewide movement led by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health that helps local communities increase opportunities for residents to eat better and move more in the places they live, learn, work, and play.

You can learn more about MiM NB by visiting their website at massinmotionnewbedford.org or liking their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/massinmotionnewbedford

The Massachusetts State Police and the Worcester District Attorney’s Office, along with Massport and federal agencies, are investigating the crash of a single engine plane at Worcester Airport that resulted in a fatality this morning.

At approximately 0800 hrs Troop F of the State Police was notified that the plane had gone off the runway upon takeoff and crashed into a wooded area. The pilot, a male, has been determined to be deceased at the scene.

The deceased victim was the plane’s only occupant. His identify and hometown, as well as the type of plane he was piloting, are not being released pending notification of next of kin.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. State Police Crime Scene Services technicians are processing the scene. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Worcester District Attorney’s office are en route to the scene.

No further information is available at this time.

Meet Jonna Algarin-Mojica, a 22-year-old IT Specialist with the National Guard.

After joining the military at the age of 19, he has had several contracts where he has worked with computer systems throughout the state of Massachusetts.

Towards the end of 2014, he was laid off, due to a lapse in contracts, and was without work for a few months. During that time period he picked up his camera and started experimenting with street photography. It was during this time period where his passion for photography exploded and he was able to really dedicate his time into getting better.

The Instagram community really pushed him harder and harder and has led to the success that Jonna has received in his short time as a photographer. After being featured in Street Dreams magazine, a quarterly photography magazine, which narrows down millions of submissions into a handful of lucky individuals and prints their work in the magazine.

While living in Milford in 2014 for a short period of time, he would constantly hear of the bad name that New Bedford had from the surrounding area. This encouraged and inspired him to be able to show the world that New Bedford didn’t have as bad of a rep as it seemed. In early September he was able to do just that, as he had been given a spotlight in the online blog Hypebeast, which has over 2 million viewers daily. Over the course of the weekend they posted his images of New Bedford, with little excerpts of his interview, talking about how great and inspiring the city is.

Today, Jonna is currently training for his new contract with the National Guard and chasing his photography dreams head on. He would love to see the community come together and work on accomplishing similar goals rather than trying to constantly cut each other off at the feet.

“Be yourself, there’s a lot of people that will guide you in the direction of what they think is right. You are only going to be happy or succeed if you are being true to yourself.”

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Faces of New Bedford is a project by Colton Simmons. If you are interested in booking a shoot or getting prints from the series email all inquiries to colton@coltonsimmons.com

Follow Colton on Instagram: https://instagram.com/simmonscolton

On October 20, at about 5:30 p.m., a woman was jogging on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail in Cheshire when she was accosted by a man who proceeded to commit a lewd act in her presence and then attempted to grab her arm as she ran by. The man, who was riding a bike prior to the assault, was described as a white male in his 20’s, approximately 5’4”, average build, with very short, brown hair, wearing a grey, hooded sweatshirt.

Subsequent investigation by Trooper Amy Shaughnessy indicates that there were four similar incidents dating back to May 26 of this year. While it is uncertain at this point if all of the incidents were committed by the same person, the physical descriptions given indicate that is a possibility. Additional characteristics and descriptions given by the other victims include, 17-23 years old, balding, wearing all black, having a lisp or speech impediment, possible mental deficiency, white sleeveless shirt, tattoos on shoulders, tank top, and a sickly, yellowish complexion. A bicycle was mentioned in one of the other incidents and was described as being black in color.

These incidents happened at various points along the rail trail in Cheshire. If anyone has any information regarding this investigation, please contact the State Police Barracks in Cheshire at 413-743-4700.

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced today that a New Bedford child rapist was sentenced to serve eight to 10 years in state prison Wednesday afternoon in Fall River Superior Court.

Manny DaSilva, 48, of New Bedford, pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of rape of a child, and two counts of indecent assault and battery of a person under 14 years of age.

Judge William Sullivan , after hearing a victim impact statement penned by the victim and listening to another impact statement from the victim’s mother, sentenced Mr. DaSilva to serve eight to 10 years in state prison, to be followed by seven years of supervised probation upon his release from prison.

The incident dates back to late 2010, when the victim was 9-years-old. The victim, a fourth grader at the time, would go, along with her brother, to a home that Mr. DaSilva was residing in with his parents each day after school. The two children would often play in Mr. DaSilva’s room while he was still at work. But upon returning from work, he would send the boy to the living room, while keeping the female victim in his bedroom. After raping the young girl, Mr. DaSilva would make the victim kneel and pray with him to forgive him for his sins.

The victim eventually disclosed the abuse four years later to a friend after the friend showed concern about the victim’s psychological well-being. The friend reported the disclosure to a teacher and a police investigation ensued, resulting in Mr. DaSilva’s arrest in 2014.

“The facts of this case are extremely disturbing to me. This is a man who stole the innocence of a young girl, causing her years of psychological distress. It is particularly offensive that this man was a caretaker of the child, while he sexually abused her,” District Attorney Quinn said. “However, I was inspired to hear of the strength and courage the victim has shown ever since finally revealing the abuse to a friend. The victim is now excelling in school and her psychological well-being has improved dramatically. If there is a lesson to be learned from this tragic case, it is this: If you are being victimized, speak to someone. You will get the help and support you need.

“I would also like to thank the family of the victim for their staunch support of her throughout this matter.”

The free event is scheduled from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. As space is limited, RSVP is required by contacting Tina Malott: tmalott@whalingmuseum.org or by calling 508-717-6839, or by going to www.whalingmuseum.org.

The Whaling Museum has premium event spaces that are perfect for weddings, corporate events, cocktail receptions, and other special occasions. New to the museum is the Harbor View Gallery and Terrace, which offers majestic views of the Port of New Bedford. This fun and informative open house will give guests an opportunity to experience all of the available rental spaces and have their questions answered.

The Museum’s exclusive partners and preferred vendors will be showing off their fabulous services to help plan the perfect event. Complimentary tasty treats will be provided by Russell Morin Catering and Events. Special perks (discounts worth $1,000!) will be given to those who reserve a Museum space by December 15, 2015. Don’t miss out on the special perks for corporate members either.

A special discount ticket of $10 is offered for the two Saturday night performances for those who “Dress Up for Dracula”.

Dracula, the classic Gothic thriller, will open an eight show run at Your Theatre, Inc. on November 12, 2015. Written by Bram Stoker and adapted for stage by John L. Balderston, the play has a cast of eight South Coast actors and is directed by Stephen R. Kay of Swansea.

The play follows Lucy Seward, daughter of the physician in charge of a sanatorium near London, who has a mysterious illness. Doctor Van Helsing, a family friend, suspects a vampire that roams the earth by night sucking the blood of victims to sustain its earthly life. With the help of Lucy’s father and her fiancé, Harker, they search for the fiend among the sanatorium patients. They widen their search to include the new occupants of the estate next door, not wanting to leave any stone unturned in their quest to rid the world of the supernatural terror. The identity of the fiend is found at last and its ghost is finally laid to rest in a striking and novel manner.

You won’t want to miss this seasonal show, hear the keys in the lock, and feel the tingles run down your spine. Listen for the correct answer to a question asked at the curtain call, and enter a chance to win two free passes to another production at YTI.

A special discount ticket of $10 is offered for the two Saturday night performances for those who “Dress Up for Dracula”. Wear your best Vamp attire and makeup and receive the discount on November 14 and 21 only.

Your Theatre, Inc. is grateful to our 69th Season Sponsor, BankFive, for its fourth year of strong support for the arts. Your Theatre, Inc. also thanks Bristol County Savings Bank for its support of this production. Performance dates are: November 12, 13, 14 & 19, 20, 21 at 8:00 p.m., and November 15 & 22 at 2:30 p.m.
General admission is $15, $12 for season subscribers (three show minimum), and $13 for students, seniors, and military personnel.

Performances are held at the wheelchair accessible Your Theatre, Inc. Playhouse located at 136 Rivet St. (corner of County St.), New Bedford, at the St. Martin’s Episcopal Church complex. Free parking is available off County Street. For tickets and further information call Your Theatre, Inc. at 508-993-0772, or send an email to info@yourtheatre.org. The theatre’s web site is www.yourtheatre.org.

On 10/21/2015 at 4 p.m., Trooper Michael Tryon, assigned to the State Police Barracks in Foxboro, was notified of a road rage incident that occurred on Route 95 southbound in Sharon. A motorist called 911 stating a gun had been pointed at him by a man in a Volkswagen. The caller gave the license plate of the vehicle and described the two male occupants.

Trooper Tryon observed the vehicle traveling on Route 95 southbound in Mansfield and stopped it. The operator of the Volkswagen, 21-year-old YOMAR ROMERO of Pawtucket RI, was arrested for a default warrant out of Uxbridge District Court. The passenger, 20-year-old JUSTIN SMITH of Providence RI, had a .32 caliber shell casing in his pocket. Inside the vehicle, a loaded .32 caliber Colt handgun was located, along with a box containing 28 rounds of ammunition and a Halloween mask. Neither man had a valid license to carry a firearm and both were arrested and transported to the State Police Barracks in Foxboro where they were booked and are being held on $10,000 bail each.

ROMERO was charged with the following offenses:
1. Possession of a Firearm Without an FID Card2. Possession of Ammunition Without an FID Card
3. Carrying a Firearm Without a License
4. Default Warrant

SMITH was charged with the following offenses:
1. Carrying a Firearm Without a License
2. Assault With A Dangerous Weapon
3. Possession of Ammunition Without an FID Card

Both men will be arraigned in Attleboro District Court in the morning.

No further information is available at this time. Please do not contact the barracks.