The Massachusetts State Police Division of Homeland Security continues to monitor developments in the Christchurch mosque attacks, and we remain in contact with our federal law enforcement partners regarding the ongoing investigation by New Zealand authorities.

At this time there are no specific credible threats to any mosques or other houses of worship in Massachusetts. Massachusetts State Police field units will maintain their usual high alert levels for any suspicious activity in their patrol areas, and, where applicable, increase frequency of patrols around mosques and other religious facilities.

We express our condolences to the victims, their loved ones, and the communities impacted by these violent acts.

Wareham Police reported that two local drug dealers have been sentenced to prison.

Recently, Mario Ogletree, 32, and Christine Quinn, 30, both of Wareham were found guilty in Plymouth Superior Court after being arrested multiple times by Wareham Police detectives for narcotics violations in April, May, and September of 2017.

Acting Police Chief John Walcek said, “The teamwork between our detectives and the District Attorney’s office resulted in two drug dealers be taken off our streets. Wareham police detectives relentlessly investigated, and re-arrested these individuals because they continued to operate their illegal activities with no regard for the law.” He added, “The Wareham Police Department will continue to vigorously enforce drug laws for the safety and peace of our community.”

The two were sentenced as follows:

– Mario Ogletree: 6-8 years in State Prison
– Christine Quinn: 4 years and a Day State Prison

On Thursday, March 14, 2019 at approximately 7:13 p.m., Dartmouth Police responded to #450 State Road (Dunkin Donuts/AT&T Plaza) regarding a stabbing.

Upon arrival, officers located two (2) males with stab wounds. Also at this time, a description of a vehicle which another involved male had fled the area in was provided.

While responding to the call, Patrolman Shawn SOUZA observed the vehicle, a 2013 Mercedes, operating on State Road near Reed Road.

Upon attempting to stop the Mercedes, it accelerated at a high rate of speed. While attempting to negotiate a turn onto Deerfield Road, the operator lost control of the vehicle and crashed. The operator then fled from the vehicle.

During a search of the area, the operator, subsequently identified as Sadaryl PARHAM, 24, of #255 Main Street, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, was located in a swampy area in close proximity to the crash.

After being placed under arrest, PARHAM was transported to St. Luke’s Hospital to receive treatment for a cut to his hand.

PARHAM was subsequently charged with two (2) counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault to murder, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, failure to stop for police, negligent operation, marked lanes violation, and speeding.

After receiving initial treatment at the scene, the two (2) previously mentioned males located at #450 State Road were transported to the hospital. One of the males was transported to St. Anne’s Hospital in Fall River with minor injuries, while the second male, whose wounds were more severe, but not life threatening, was transported to Rhode Island Hospital.

The incident remains under investigation by both the Dartmouth Police Department Investigative Services Division and Patrol Division.

A Holyoke man pleaded guilty Tuesday, March 12, 2019, in federal court in Springfield in connection with making a machine gun.

Edward V. Laboursoliere, 50, pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly possessing an unregistered firearm, one count of possessing a firearm unidentified by a serial number, and one count of making a firearm, all in violation of the National Firearms Act. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for June 5, 2019.

On April 8, 2018, Laboursoliere’s wife reported to law enforcement that he had been storing hazardous materials in the home. In response to the report, the home was searched, where a short-barrel rifle machine gun was recovered. Laboursoliere admitted to law enforcement that he made the machine gun during the Obama administration.

The charges of receipt and possession of an unregistered firearm, receipt and possession of a firearm unidentifiable by a serial number, and making of a firearm in violation of the National Firearms Act each provide for a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Holyoke Police Chief Manuel Febo made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

A 40-year-old former New Bedford man who fled the country at the outset of his narcotics trafficking trial in December 2014 was arrested last month back in New Bedford, and today was ordered held on $500,000 cash bail by a Fall River Superior Court Judge, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III.

Rene Perez was set to stand trial in December 2014 on indictments charging him with trafficking heroin and trafficking cocaine. But on the first day of trial, while out on bail, he cut off a GPS monitoring device and fled to the Dominican Republic under the alias of Manuel Omar Castillo Aguasvivas. At some point during the ensuing five years, the defendant returned to New Bedford.

On February 20, 2019, New Bedford Police were canvassing an area of the city as a result of an ongoing non-fatal shooting investigation, when they happened upon the defendant. After running a check on the defendant, it was determined he was the individual by the name of Rene Perez who failed to appear for trial and was arrested.

The defendant appeared in Fall River Superior Court today and was ordered held on $500,000 cash bail by Judge Raffi Yessayan while he awaits trial on the previous drug trafficking indictments.

“I am very pleased that the court set a very high cash bail that reflects that this is a defendant who has not and will not appear in court voluntarily. This defendant fled to the Dominican Republic to evade prosecution and somehow returned to the US, despite not being a citizen. The defendant had no intention of ever coming in to face these charges and this type of bail ruling is what is necessary to assure that fugitives will answer for their alleged crimes,” District Attorney Quinn said.

UPDATE from this morning’s article:

58-year-old former Norton resident, Anthony Schmitka, was ordered held without bail during his arraignment this afternoon in Fall River Superior Court on charges connected to allegations that he stole more than $100,000 from his elderly/veteran father, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced today.

The defendant was returned to Massachusetts last night, transported to the Norton Police Station for booking and was held in jail overnight at the Ash Street Jail.

The defendant, one of the first highlighted on the Bristol County Most Wanted Fugitives List unveiled to the public last month, was tracked down and apprehended in Woodstock, VT. last week.

The defendant had been on the run since early 2016 when he failed to appear for a jury trial in Attleboro District Court. The defendant was subsequently indicted on two Superior Court charges of larceny over $250 from a person over the age of 60. He was also indicted this morning on a charge of bail jumping/failure to appear. This defendant is accused of systematically stealing more than $100,000 from his elderly father.

In February 2013, the defendants’ father, who is a US Military Veteran, received a retroactive benefits check for more than $100,000 from the Department of Veterans Affairs. During the next 12 months, this defendant is alleged to have stolen the money, using a portion of it to play the lottery and gamble at a local casino.

On February 14, 2019, District Attorney Quinn, joined by members of his state police unit and police chiefs from throughout Bristol County, announced the creation of a Bristol County Most Wanted Fugitives List and a new anonymous tip program during a press conference in Westport. During that announcement, the defendant’s name and photo was released to the public in hopes that new leads would be generated on his whereabouts. A week after this announcement, Norton Police received a tip stating that the defendant was hiding out in Vermont. This information was passed along to DA Quinn’s State Police Unit and the Massachusetts Violent Fugitives Apprehension Section (VFAS), since both agencies had been working collaboratively to locate and apprehend this wanted fugitive.

Thanks to that tip, tenacious investigatory work and the assistance of the US Marshals, investigators were able to take this fugitive back into custody in Vermont. The defendant has since waived rendition, is currently being held in custody in Vermont and will likely be transported back to Massachusetts to face the charges lodged against him in Fall River Superior Court sometime next week. District Attorney Quinn would like to thank VFAS, members of his state police unit, Norton Police, the US Marshals and the Woodstock, VT. Police for their help in locating and apprehending this fugitive from justice.

More information on the Bristol County Most Wanted Fugitives List can be found at www.facebook.com/bristoldafugitives and www.bristolda.com/fugitives.

“I am very pleased the defendant was held without bail. The Defendant has clearly demonstrated that he is a flight risk and should be held without bail until his trial. We will continue to dedicate resources to locating and apprehending fugitives who refuse to appear for court hearings,” District Attorney Quinn said.

58-year-old former Norton resident, Anthony Schmitka was returned to Massachusetts last night and will be arraigned later this morning in Fall River Superior Court on charges connected to allegations that he stole more than $100,000 from his elderly/veteran father, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced today.

The defendant was transported last night by Massachusetts State Police Troopers assigned to this office​ from Vermont to the Norton Police Station for booking and was held in jail overnight at the Ash Street Jail.

The defendant, one of the first highlighted on the Bristol County Most Wanted Fugitives List unveiled to the public last month, was tracked down and apprehended in Woodstock, VT. last week, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced today.

The defendant had been on the run since early 2016 when he failed to appear for a jury trial in Attleboro District Court. The defendant was subsequently indicted on two Superior Court charges of larceny over $250 from a person over the age of 60. This defendant is accused of systematically stealing more than $100,000 from his elderly father.

In February 2013, the defendants’ father, who is a US Military Veteran, received a retroactive benefits check for more than $100,000 from the Department of Veterans Affairs. During the next 12 months, this defendant is alleged to have stolen the money, using a portion of it to play the lottery and gamble at a local casino.

On February 14, 2019, District Attorney Quinn, joined by members of his state police unit and police chiefs from throughout Bristol County, announced the creation of a Bristol County Most Wanted Fugitives List and a new anonymous tip program during a press conference in Westport. During that announcement, the defendant’s name and photo was released to the public in hopes that new leads would be generated on his whereabouts. A week after this announcement, Norton Police received a tip stating that the defendant was hiding out in Vermont. This information was passed along to DA Quinn’s State Police Unit and the Massachusetts Violent Fugitives Apprehension Section (VFAS), since both agencies had been working collaboratively to locate and apprehend this wanted fugitive.

Thanks to that tip, tenacious investigatory work and the assistance of the US Marshals, investigators were able to take this fugitive back into custody in Vermont. The defendant has since waived rendition, is currently being held in custody in Vermont and will likely be transported back to Massachusetts to face the charges lodged against him in Fall River Superior Court sometime next week. District Attorney Quinn would like to thank VFAS, members of his state police unit, Norton Police, the US Marshals and the Woodstock, VT. Police for their help in locating and apprehending this fugitive from justice.

More information on the Bristol County Most Wanted Fugitives List can be found at www.facebook.com/bristoldafugitives and www.bristolda.com/fugitives.

36-year-old Alexis Silva, who has been wanted for the past four months for the November 11, 2018 shooting homicide of Reynaldo Pena in New Bedford, turned himself in to authorities this morning at Fall River Superior Court, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

After turning himself in, the defendant was immediately arraigned on a multi-count indictment charging him with murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon by discharge of a firearm, carrying an illegal firearm, carrying a loaded illegal firearm and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Judge Raffi Yessayan ordered the defendant held without bail.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Robert Digiantomaso.

New Bedford Police responded to the 800 block of Shawmut Avenue around 2:19 a.m. on November 11 after receiving 911 call for shots fired in the area. Upon arrival, first responders located 23-year-old Reynaldo Pena lying in the street, suffering from gunshot wounds. Mr. Pena, a New Bedford resident, was rushed to St. Luke’s Hospital and Transferred to Rhode Island Hospital before dying sometime around 3:40 a.m.

This defendant was featured prominently during a February press conference held to announce the creation of a new Bristol County Most Wanted Fugitives List, which can be found at www.facebook.com/bristoldafugitives.

“I am very pleased that the defendant surrendered himself today. This eliminates the need to expend additional resources to locate him and also prevents the possibility of additional violence occurring if this defendant continued to evade apprehension. The defendant was listed at the top of the Most Wanted Fugitives list. I would be very surprised if our fugitive initiative was not a factor in this defendant turning himself in,” District Attorney Quinn said.

A Boston man was arrested today and charged in federal court in Boston for surreptitiously filming boys in the restrooms at Boston Latin School (BLS).

Eric Tran Thai, 36, was charged with five counts of sexual exploitation of children. He will appear in federal court in Boston at 3:30 p.m. today.

According to court documents, on Feb. 6 and Feb. 27, two separate Boston College students reported to the police that they had been videotaped without their knowledge or consent while they were using the men’s restrooms on the Boston College campus. Following the Feb. 27, 2018, report, police located and spoke with Thai, who was then arrested on state charges in Middlesex County Superior Court.

It is alleged that while speaking with police, Thai admitted to “taking some pictures” of a man in the stall next to him without the man’s consent. He further admitted to engaging in such activity for about a year. Thai was placed under arrest on state charges and his bag was subsequently searched; in it, police found several covert camera devices, including faux smoke detectors, a water bottle containing a small cube recording device, and a pair of sunglasses outfitted with a built-in camera.

During a search of Thai’s home on March 1, law enforcement seized approximately 26 computer hard drives, 20 thumb drives, 27 covert and regular cameras, 14 computers, iPads, and cell phones, and multiple SD and Sim cards. During forensic analysis of the recovered items, investigators found several folders labeled: BU, MIT, Harvard, Northeastern, Bunker Hill, Boston Latin High School, and several different malls, airports, and foreign country locations. Given the amount of data seized by investigators, forensic analysis is ongoing.

It is alleged that the videos contained in folders labeled “Boston Latin High School” contained approximately 45 surreptitiously-recorded videos of male students in various states of dress using the urinals and stalls in a Boston Latin High School boys’ bathroom. The videos appear to have been created on approximately 10 separate dates between February and December 2017.

In general, the videos show Thai sitting in a bathroom stall at Boston Latin High School recording individuals in adjacent stalls or at the urinals through various secret recording methods. In some videos, Thai appears to hold a camera over the top of the partition between the bathroom stalls and videotaping from overhead. In other instances, he appears to hide a small camera inside of his backpack, place the backpack on the bathroom floor and videotape individuals in the adjacent bathroom stall from under the stall’s partition. While recording, it appears that Thai would simultaneously view what the camera was recording on a cellphone or a tablet device in his possession. Based on this evidence, Thai was charged with five counts of sexual exploitation of children in violation of federal law.

The defendant also allegedly surreptitiously video-recorded individuals in numerous public restroom locations throughout greater Boston and elsewhere.

Members of the public who have questions, concerns, or information about this case should contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 617-748-3274.

Each charge of sexual exploitation of children provides for a mandatory minimum 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan; Boston Police Commissioner William G. Gross; and Boston College Police Chief William B. Evans made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Lelling’s Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of his Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.

The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

On Friday, members of the Massachusetts State Police Gang Unit applied for and received a search warrant for a residence located on North Precinct Street in Lakeville based upon probable cause that a resident was illegally selling controlled substances. The target of the investigation was 39-year-old BRIAN MACLAY.

On Sunday at about 4:35 p.m., members of the Southeastern Massachusetts Gang Task Force, along with a State Police K-9 trooper and Lakeville Police Detectives, arrived at the residence and observed MACLAY leave in a vehicle. They conducted a motor vehicle stop on Richmond Street in Lakeville and placed MACLAY under arrest for operating a motor vehicle on a suspended license. During their encounter with MACLAY, it was determined that he was in possession of a quantity of a substance believed to be cocaine.

Investigators then executed the search warrant on the North Precinct Street residence and discovered additional quantities of a substance believed to be cocaine, two pills believed to be the drug Percocet, and paraphernalia consistent with illegal narcotic sales.

MACLAY was booked at the State Police Barracks in Middleboro on the following charges:

* Trafficking in cocaine (more than 200 grams)
* Possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance (Cocaine)
* Possession of a Class B substance (Percocet)
* Operating after suspension