New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
On Wednesday night, a SWAT team breached the Best Western Motel on Route 6 in Dartmouth to capture a dangerous fugitive wanted on 7 warrants. Dartmouth Police got their man, Royleton Haston, Jr., 22, of Plymouth, Massachusetts, thankfully without incident.
But this unfortunately is not a unique scenario, as Dartmouth Police are constantly called to this strip of motels along Route 6 which is a hub of crime in an otherwise safe town of Dartmouth. If something shady is happening in Dartmouth, the overwhelming odds are that it’s happening along this strip of Route 6. I know this because I live nearby and I see it daily.
Following the arrest of the fugitive on Wednesday, Dartmouth Chief of Police, Brian P. Levesque noted,
“Sadly, dangerous fugitives such as Haston, Jr. are frequently found while hiding in the hotels and motels in our town. Had it not been for the keen observation of a new officer, and the rapid response of the numerous assets available to us, it is more than likely that Haston, Jr. would still be putting the public in danger by once again eluding arrest.”
Clearly, the Dartmouth Police are proactively attacking this issue; just last week they arrested 7 individuals in an undercover sting operation held at these motels. The Dartmouth Police Department Investigative Services Division, in partnership with the Massachusetts State Police High-Risk Victims Unit, conducted an undercover sting operation to combat the growing threat of prostitution and commercial sexual exploitation.
Throughout the day and night, detectives working in an undercover capacity arranged to meet with suspects at a local hotel/motel through an online ad that was posted. As a result of the operation, a total of 7 men were arrested and charged with sexual conduct for a fee.
Following this operation, Dartmouth Chief of Police Brian P. Levesque noted,
“This operation was the direct result of our commitment to combating the ongoing issues that we are experiencing at our local hotels and motels. Though it is impossible to completely eradicate the inherent problems that come with the transient environment that these establishments support, I would like it to be known that we, along with our partners at the State Police, will be taking further progressive measures to suppress this activity moving forward.”
Along with daily petty crime, housing fugitives, and operating as a hub for prostitution, it is also important to mention that a man has been missing for three years after his last known whereabouts was checking into one of these motels. Henry V Fermino was 60 years old when he went missing on May 9th 2021 and was last seen at the “Capri Motel” at 741 State Rd in North Dartmouth, MA.
He checked into the Capri Motel by himself Saturday on 05/08/2021 for two nights. On Sunday 05/09/2021 the girlfriend of Henry stated she received a phone call from a stranger’s phone and had a voicemail from Henry at around 8:00 AM. Some strangers while having breakfast stated they observed Henry crossing Route 6 away from the Motel.
Later that day, the housekeeper stated that around 2:00 PM she saw Henry with an unknown male she had never seen before but no vehicle was parked out front. His cell phone last pinged in the area of the Motel up until Tuesday 05/11/2021. The housekeeper stated she found Henry’s cell phone while cleaning his room on Monday 05/10/2021. Henry has not been seen or heard from since.
