A 32-year-old Westport man was arrested yesterday afternoon in connection to an ongoing investigation into a serious child abuse case involving a two-month-old child.

According to Westport Detective Sergeant Christopher Dunn, Stephen Kegyes was taken into custody and is being charged with three counts of permitting injury to a child, two counts of strangulation and one count of assault and battery on a child with injury.

The defendant is an adoptive parent of the infant boy. Westport Police officials were contacted on Sunday and informed the infant was at Boston Children’s Hospital being treated for multiple injuries.

On Monday, as the investigation proceeded, detectives obtained video taken from inside the defendant’s Westport residence which shows the defendant abusing the infant on Saturday afternoon.

Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, no further information on the facts of the case are being released by police at this time. Detective Ryan Nickelson was assigned and is continuing to investigate this case.

The defendant was booked at the Westport Police Station and was arraigned in Fall River District Court. At arraignment Kegyes was held until a dangerous hearing for Friday January 15, 2021 at the Fall River Justice Center.

“Last evening at 5:30 pm Ladder 4, Engine 9, Unit 1 & 2 responded to a motor vehicle accident at Irvington and Church Streets.

One vehicle rolled on its side with a male driver pinned between cab and ground. Crews used the Hurst eDraulic spreaders and the winch on Command Unit 1 to raise the vehicle off of the victim. Cribbing was simultaneously placed underneath the truck for stabilization.

Both District Chief command units which were placed in service in 2019 and 2020 are equipped with five ton winches for rescue operations.”

New Bedford Fire Department photo.

New Bedford Fire Department photo.

FBI Announces $30,000 Reward for Information Leading to the Arrest of Fugitive Hung Tien Pham, Launches International Publicity Campaign; Hung Tien Pham Considered Armed and Dangerous

The FBI Boston Division, the Boston Police Department, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts are asking for the public’s assistance in locating longtime fugitive Hung Tien Pham, who is wanted for the brutal execution-style murders of five men at a Chinatown social club in Boston, Massachusetts, 30 years ago today.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $30,000 to anyone who can provide information leading to Pham’s capture and conviction. He should be considered armed and dangerous and an international flight risk.

In the early morning hours of January 12, 1991, Hung Tien Pham entered an illegal gambling den located at 85A Tyler Street in Boston, Massachusetts, and allegedly shot six men, execution-style, while they were playing cards. Of the six victims, only one survived the attack, and he subsequently identified Pham, along with Nam The Tham and Siny Van Tran, as the shooters. Six days later, on January 18, 1991, a warrant was issued for Pham’s arrest following his indictment by a grand jury in Suffolk County Superior Court on five counts of murder, one count of armed assault with intent to murder, one count of conspiracy, and one count of carrying a firearm without a license.

Following the massacre, it is alleged that Pham left his two children and their mother and drove to Atlantic City, New Jersey, to gamble and then to New York, New York, where he boarded a flight for Hong Kong on February 1, 1991. A federal arrest warrant was issued for Pham on February 15, 1991, by a United States magistrate judge in the District of Massachusetts, charging him with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution (UFAP) for the crime of murder.

In addition to the quintuple homicide, Pham is also wanted by the Boston Police Department for another murder that occurred on January 8, 1991, four days before the massacre.

Reward: The FBI is offering a reward of up to $30,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Hung Tien Pham.

After a decade-long international manhunt, Tham and Tran were arrested in China and, following extensive diplomatic negotiations, returned to the United States in 2001. In 2005, Tham and Tran were convicted of murder in Suffolk County Superior Court and are currently serving five consecutive life sentences. Pham remains a fugitive and his last known location was Bangkok, Thailand, in the mid- to late-1990s.

Investigators have determined that in the 1980s and early 1990s, Pham was a major associate of Asian organized crime, specifically the Ping On crime syndicate, operating in Boston, Massachusetts; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Chicago, Illinois; and Toronto, Canada. He also has family in the San Francisco Bay area of California, South Korea, and North Vietnam.

Pham was born in Mong Cai, Quang Ningh Province, North Vietnam. He is a Vietnamese national of Chinese descent and is fluent in Vietnamese, Chinese, and English. At the time of the murders, he was a legal, permanent resident of the United States and had black hair, brown eyes, weighed approximately 115 to 135 pounds, was approximately 5’2” to 5’4” tall, and resided on Clayton Street in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

Pham is now 60 years old, and his aliases include Hung Suk, Hung Pham, Pham Hung, Hung-Tien Pham, Chung Hung Fan, Hung Tien Fan, Ah Hung, Fan Chung-Hung, Tien Pham Hung, and Hung T. Pham. He has held a variety of jobs, including but not limited to, a cook, waiter, bicycle repairman, and floor sander. Pham was also known to be a big spender who liked flashy cars and cognac.

New Reward in Boston Chinatown Massacre Case
New Reward in Boston Chinatown Massacre Case
The FBI and Boston Police are hoping a $30,000 reward will shed light on the whereabouts of a suspect in the execution-style murders of five men 30 years ago.

Full story

The public is being asked to review Pham’s wanted poster which includes new photographs, including an age-progressed photo of him at 60 years old.

The international publicity campaign includes the launch of a webpage on fbi.gov; social media outreach on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube; and targeted publicity in the cities to which Pham has been tied. The public can play an active role in helping law enforcement find the subject by sharing links to the website and official social media content.

“As alleged, this cold-blooded killer has been on the run for 30 years, and we’re hoping this reward will incentivize anyone with information on Pham’s whereabouts to come forward so we can we bring him to justice for his role in one of the bloodiest massacres in Boston’s history,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, special agent in charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The six victims and their families who suffered so much deserve nothing less, and we will not rest until Pham has been held accountable for these horrific crimes.”

“Thirty years ago, Hung Tien Pham vanished. Despite the passage of time, we have not given up on finding him. Together with the FBI, we are constantly pursuing new investigative strategies with the hope of bringing Pham to justice and providing all the victims’ families with some much-needed closure. Anyone with information, no matter how minor, is urged to come forward,” added Boston Police Commissioner William G. Gross.

“For those of us who were in the Boston area 30 years ago, the massacre is something that cannot be forgotten. Five families lost their loved ones that night, the one surviving victim’s life was changed forever, and an entire neighborhood was traumatized. Boston remembers these lives that were brutally taken. It took years to find Pham’s co-defendants, and we will not rest until Pham is brought to justice and held accountable. There is no statute of limitations on murder. We will not stop looking until we find him,’’ said Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins.

“Thirty years ago, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal, state, and local partners worked hand-in-hand to investigate and dismantle organized criminal groups in Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “Those efforts, while largely successful, are unfinished so long as Pham is a fugitive from justice. I applaud the FBI’s renewed efforts to apprehend Pham—the sole remaining perpetrator wanted for his alleged involvement in the execution-style murders of five men.”

The FBI is offering a monetary reward of up to $30,000 for information leading to the location, arrest, and prosecution of this individual. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts should take no action themselves but should immediately call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), their local law enforcement agency, or their nearest American embassy or consulate. Tips can also be submitted at tips.fbi.gov.

Buttonwood Park Zoo is mourning the loss of 20 year-old Calgary, a male Canada lynx that has called the BPZOO home since 2009. At 20 years and seven months, Calgary was recognized as the oldest Canada lynx living at an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited facility – and the second longest lived lynx in the historical population.

Cal, as he was affectionately called, was beloved by his zookeepers. They remember him as a laid back cat; very agreeable with training and husbandry exercises, but aloof when he wanted to be – only becoming interested in something just as his keeper was ready to move on. Calgary was regularly seen in his habitat lazily snuggling in one of his elevated den boxes with his seven year-old mate Sylvie. Zookeepers knew his love of wild prey items, often acquired from local game officials, would always result in him demonstrating his wild cat behaviors.

Additionally, Cal was fond of keepers spreading scent enrichment throughout his habitat and he seemed to most enjoy spices including curry and paprika. His caretakers already miss hearing his loud call during the winter months, observing his interaction with enrichment and seeing the pair curled up together in the morning.

Buttonwood Park Zoo photo.

Calgary’s advanced age meant that he required extremely specialized care that included differentiated diets, additional health screenings and routine medications.

“Our dedicated animal care, veterinary, and curatorial staff diligently work to meet the husbandry, behavioral, welfare, and veterinary needs at all stages of an animal’s life – from our youngest to our most geriatric animals,” said Keith Lovett, Director of the Buttonwood Park Zoo in a letter to the community earlier this year. “Geriatric animal care is an area that BPZOO dedicates many resources to and has had much success in. The almost record-breaking longevity of Cal is a testament to the high quality and expertise of care provided here at the Zoo. Zoo staff will dearly miss Cal, but they take solace in knowing how impactful his presence at the Zoo was in inspiring guests to appreciate his species and to protect natural environments of North America.

Dr. Erica Lipanovich, BPZOO’s staff veterinarian, examined Calgary on Saturday, December 26, 2020 after his caretakers noticed a lack of stability in his back legs and reported that he was not interested in offered food. “During his examination it was determined that Calgary was suffering from end stage kidney disease as well as there being evidence of potential cancer. Due to his poor prognosis and advanced age, the decision was then made to humanely euthanize him.”

Calgary will be deeply missed.

About Canada lynx
Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) are listed as Threatened under the United States Endangered Species Act due to lower population size and inadequate protection of habitat on Federal lands. Within the northern boreal forest regions of North America, they are listed as Least Concern according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature as they are more widespread and abundant.

Their range coincides with that of their main prey, the snowshoe hare. BPZOO will continue to work with AZA’s Canada Lynx Species Survival Plan program to cooperatively manage animal populations within AZA accredited zoos to ensure the sustainability of a healthy and genetically diverse population while enhancing the conservation of this species in the wild.

A Brockton man was indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday in connection with fentanyl and cocaine possession.

Dedrick Lindsey, 37, was charged in a superseding indictment with one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Lindsey was previously indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Lindsey was arrested on state charges on July 19, 2018, after law enforcement found a .25 caliber pistol, 18 grams of fentanyl and 10.5 grams of cocaine in his possession. Lindsey is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to previous drug convictions, which are all punishable by more than a year in prison.

The charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a minimum of one year and up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. As an armed career criminal, Lindsey is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. 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; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elysa Wan of Lelling’s Office is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

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.

The City of New Bedford has renewed its electricity aggregation program for another 35 months starting in January 2021. No action is required on the part of the current program participants as they will continue their electricity service automatically with the new supplier, Constellation.

The New Bedford CEA program is part of a larger electricity purchasing group, providing New Bedford residents and businesses with competitive choice and longer-term price stability. During the first five years of the program, it has provided significant value to the community, including setting a default rate lower than Eversource’s default electricity rate.

The new electric default program rate is $0.10470 per kilowatt hour (kWh) from January 2021 through December 2023; this default rate meets all state renewable electricity standards. The Eversource Residential Basic Service electricity rate is $0.11882/kWh for the six-month period January through June 2021. In addition, the program also offers two options with more renewable electricity than required by state law. More information about the program and all the options can be found on the program website masscea.com/New-Bedford.

Those who do not want to participate in New Bedford CEA can opt out without penalty or change to a different program option at any time on the program website masscea.com/New-Bedford or by calling the supplier Constellation at 833-461-0813.

The program rates, resulting from a competitive bid, are fixed over the 35 months of the electric supply agreement (ESA) from January 2021 through December 2023. The New Bedford CEA product offerings and rates will be:

Disclaimer: Savings cannot be guaranteed as compared to Basic Service rates which change every six months for residential and commercial accounts and every three months for industrial accounts.

Current New Bedford residents and businesses who are participating in the CEA program will be automatically transitioned to the new default electricity rate as of their January 2021 meter read date.

For more information about the program, go to masscea.com/New-Bedford.

Are you between 18 and 23 years of age with an interest in a law enforcement career? Become a cadet with the New Bedford Police Department!

Work alongside officers to help with administrative duties and become a 911 Division Call taker.

Contact the New Bedford Police Department at (508) 979-1444.

New Bedford Police Department photo.

Shortly before 1 a.m. on Saturday Trooper John Hagerty, assigned to State Police-Middleboro, was stationary observing traffic at a gas station on Pleasant Street in Brockton. At that time he observed a red Mitsubishi SUV being operated on the roadway with no headlights or taillights active. Trooper Hagerty entered traffic and stopped the vehicle at the intersection of Troy Street.

Upon the Mitsubishi coming to a full stop Trooper Hagerty approached it and identified the operator as MIGUEL SANTIAGO, 33, of Whitman. Trooper Hagerty informed SANTIAGO why he was stopped then returned to his cruiser with SANTIAGO’s information in order to conduct an electronic RMV inquiry. The results of the inquiry revealed STANTIAGO’s driver’s license was suspended. It also revealed SANTIAGO had an active warrant for his arrest issued by Brockton District Court. Trooper Jared Hebert then arrived on scene to assist.

Trooper Hagerty removed SANTIAGO from his vehicle and placed him under arrest. A tow truck was requested to respond to the scene at which point Troopers conducted an inventory of the vehicle’s contents. They quickly observed over $4000 in cash along with multiple cell phones and other items they suspected could have been used in the sale or transport of illegal narcotics. Both Troopers then noticed multiple areas within the interior of the vehicle that appeared to have been modified and tampered with. After a closer inspection of these areas Troopers located a large amount of pills suspected to contain fentanyl.

The pills had a combined weight of 112 grams. They also located a loaded Glock 9mm firearm with a large capacity magazine capable of holding 26 rounds of ammunition. An electronic inquiry of the firearm’s serial number revealed it was reported stolen in Rhode Island approximately five years ago. SANTIAGO does not possess a license to carry firearms.

SANTIAGO was transported to the Middleboro Barracks for booking. A bail commissioner was contacted who set bail at $2,600. SANTIAGO was able to post bail and was later released. He was scheduled to appear at Brockton District Court for charges stemming from his arrest warrant along with arraignment on the following offenses:

01. Illegal Possession of a Firearm;
02. Possession of a Firearm without FID Card;
03. Possession of Ammunition without FID Card;
04. Possession of a Large Capacity Feeding Device;
05. Improper Storage of a Firearm;
06. Receiving Stolen Property -$1200;
07. Trafficking in Fentanyl;
08. Possession of a Firearm while in Commission of a Felony;
09. Operating a Motor Vehicle with a Suspended License; and
10. Motor Vehicle Equipment Violation.

By Katie Lannan
State House News Service

College students would be anonymously surveyed about their experiences with sexual misconduct on campus and woul have access to new, confidential resources in the event of sexual assault, under a bill that’s now on Gov. Charlie Baker’s desk after a last-minute flurry of activity in the Legislature this week.

In a state rich with college campuses, versions of the bill have been filed since 2015, driven by student advocates and recent graduates who have been sharing their stories with lawmakers.

Supporters gathered on a Zoom call Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning as they watched the bill bounce back and forth between the House and the Senate in the final hours of the 2019-2020 legislative session, while the two branches exchanged amendments tweaking its wording.

“This literally started with eight of us sitting in a basement, and it’s hard to believe that we’ve come this far, to the point where it’s the words that we wrote and the ideas that we spoke will change the law in our state for generations to come,” said Every Voice Coalition founder and co-chair John Gabrieli.

Gabrieli said the coalition formed to create more transparency around the presence of sexual violence on college campuses and to bring student and survivor voices to table in policy discussions.

Passage of the bill is “incredibly validating” for the students and advocates who have made phone calls, rallied their communities and written to lawmakers, and those people will now be watching to see how Baker acts, Gabrieli said.

The House and Senate’s final votes sending Baker the bill (S 2979) after 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday, and a 10-day review period would mean that he has until Saturday, Jan. 16 to act on it.

Jane Doe Inc., a coalition focused on addressing sexual and domestic violence, urged Baker to “swiftly sign the bill into law.”

“We know how difficult it can be for survivors of sexual assault to come forward and speak to anyone about what they experienced, and that when they do, they are often met with disbelief and limited resources for support,” JDI policy director Hema Sarang-Sieminski said in a statement. “This new law would address both of these concerns as well as put an emphasis on prevention.”

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu signed a similar bill backed by the Every Voice Coalition into law last July.

According to Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, who with Rep. Lori Ehrlich sponsored the original House versions of the Massachusetts bill, the legislation would require each campus to appoint a confidential resource advisor to help students access support after a sexual misconduct incident, and institutions that do not have their own sexual assault crisis centers would need to enter into an agreement with a local center to provide services to students.

“Rape culture is alive and well on our campuses. Twenty percent, or one in five, young women are sexually assaulted at college, the great majority between Labor Day and Thanksgiving of their freshman or sophomore year,” sad Farley-Bouvier, a Pittsfield Democrat. “This bill, led by young people themselves, will go a long way in changing the culture, preventing sexual assault, and bringing justice for those impacted.”

A task force would be created to develop questions for a sexual misconduct climate survey, which after review by state higher education officials, would be distributed to colleges and universities. Schools could also write their own surveys, and both public and independent higher education institutions would need to survey their students at least once every four years, and post a summary of the anonymous responses online.

Farley-Bouvier and Ehrlich did not discuss the bill on the floor when the House acted on it Tuesday. Ehrlich said on her website that the two decided not to make speeches “so the bill didn’t run out of time” in the final hours of the session, calling it the right decision as the bill “barely made it over the line in time.”

Ehrlich, a Marblehead Democrat, posted the speech she would have given online. “From a consumer standpoint, climate surveys provide a means of transparency for parents and prospective students to make informed decisions about their safety during what is typically a student’s first time living independently,” she wrote.

Additionally, the bill requires colleges and universities to adopt sexual misconduct polices and post them online. The policies would need to include procedures for reporting misconduct, information on receiving emergency assistance, the rights of students and employees, and a summary of procedures for resolving complaints.

Sen. Michael Moore, a Millbury Democrat who filed an initial Senate version of the bill, said it would ensure that students are trained on sexual violence prevention and bystander strategies, and that they are made aware of the rights of the reporting party and the accused during the disciplinary process, as well as any sanctions that may be imposed by the school.

On Sunday, January 3, 2021, Dartmouth Police responded to Little Beach on Horseneck Road, after a passerby discovered what appeared to be a sizeable fragment of an aged human skull in the sand.

As of this time, it is suspected that the fragment washed ashore, and was not placed there.

The fragment was subsequently collected by Dartmouth Police, and is being transferred to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for further analysis.