New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
“A self-styled “master thief” convicted in 2019 of stealing gold and New York Giants Super Bowl rings from E.A. Dion in Attleboro in 2008 was sent back to prison last week for violating the terms of his probation by, among other things, purporting himself to a be a homeless veteran in an effort to defraud, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.
Sean Murphy, 58, was found to be in violation of the terms of his probation by Judge Raffi Yessayan during a probation surrender hearing last week in Fall River Superior Court. During the hearing, Co-First Assistant District Attorney Patrick O. Bomberg presented the court with evidence that the defendant has been allegedly defrauding the public by soliciting charitable donations for a fake veterans charity and was doing so while pretending to be a homeless veteran. Additionally, the defendant also lied to his probation officer on multiple occasions about his whereabouts and place of residence. Judge Yessayan sentenced the defendant to serve 18 months in state prison for the probation violation.
The defendant is now facing new charges of Stolen Valor/Fraudulently Representing as Military and Larceny Under $1,2000 by False Pretense in Lynn District Court.
In December of 2019, the former leader of the “Lynn Breakers,” was sentenced to two years in prison and five years of probation for the 2008 E.A. Dion heist. In that theft, Murphy and others broke into the building by disabling the alarm system and cutting a hole through the roof before driving off with the gold and Super Bowl rings, which were made for the New York Giants. The rings were recovered and the gold was sold to a company in Pennsylvania.
This theft occurred after he also served prison time in Ohio for a robbery at a Brink’s Warehouse in Columbus, during which millions of dollars were accidentally set on fire. He was convicted of breaking into the Brink’s facility in Columbus in January 2009 and received a 20-year sentence in that case. The sentence was eventually reduced to 13 years on appeal.
“The defendant is a career criminal who has a history of stealing from and defrauding people. He was surrendered to probation because he lied to his probation officer and was defrauding the public under the guise of helping veterans,” District Attorney Quinn said. “This is clearly despicable conduct, but fits the pattern of his past criminal behavior. Unfortunately it appears the defendant is not going to stop his long term pattern of deception and fraud.”-Bristol County District Attorney’s Office.
