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A 29-year-old New Bedford man who assaulted his girlfriend and then held her against her will for two days was convicted in Fall River Superior Court Wednesday after a one-day bench trial before Judge Gregg Pasquale, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.
Luis D. Castro was convicted of kidnapping, assault, and battery on a family or household member and assault and battery on a family or household member-subsequent offense.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Zachary Mercer.
On September 27, 2018, New Bedford Police responded to an address on Tallman Street in regard to a domestic assault. Upon arrival, officers spoke with the victim. She reported that she had entered in a dating relationship with the defendant roughly one month prior, and within the last two weeks the relationship had become violent. This violence culminated in an argument on September 25 when the victim asked the defendant to leave her apartment on Nye Street.
The defendant rushed up to the victim, held her down, and punched her in the ribs. He stated he would “kill her” before he left the apartment. The victim stated that the defendant would not allow her to leave the apartment in the following days.
On September 27, the defendant briefly left the apartment to procure food, at which point the victim escaped to a friend’s house on Tallman Street to alert the police. While speaking with the officers outside the home, the defendant walked by the scene, and the victim pointed him out to the police.
The victim was driven to St. Luke’s Hospital by the police officers, where she was treated for a contusion to her chest wall.
Assistant District Attorney Mercer argued for a six to 10 years state prison sentence, while the defense requested a two-year state prison term. Judge Pasquale sentenced the defendant to serve five to seven years in state prison, to be followed by four years of supervised probation.
“This defendant has a history of violence against women. The sentence imposed by the court will protect the victim and the public,” District Attorney Quinn said.
