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A 32-year-old New Bedford man who assaulted his girlfriend and held a knife to her throat in front of her children was sentenced to serve four years in prison.
Eddie Gutierrez III pleaded guilty in Fall River Superior Court to an indictment charging him with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, intimidation, and assault and battery.
On July 23, 2014, the victim and defendant were at a family party. The defendant was drinking and an argument started over the victim wanting to leave due to his intoxication. The victim ended up leaving the party to go home with her two children, an 11-year-old and a 16-year-old. About 45 minutes after she arrived home with her children, the defendant showed up at her home banging on the door. The victim allowed the defendant inside to gather up some clothes, but once inside the home the defendant began striking the victim all about her body. The two children ran to neighbors home to get help.
In the meantime, the defendant grabbed the victim by the hair and dragged her into the kitchen, where he grabbed a knife and held it to her throat. The defendant then dragged the victim outside while still holding the knife to her throat. While outside the home, neighbors tried to intervene, but the defendant yelled at them to mind their own business and dragged the victim back into the home. The children followed them inside and attempted to get the defendant to stop. But instead of stopping, the defendant handed a second knife to the 16-year-old and challenged the child to kill him.
While this was occurring, neighbors had called 911 and police were arriving at the home. Meanwhile, the neighbors had called 911 and the police arrived. The defendant repeatedly refused to obey orders by police to drop his knife and move away from the victim, stating that he was in control and in charge. New Bedford Police officers were forced to deploy their non-lethal tasers, at which point the defendant was finally subdued and taken into custody.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Courtney Cahill. She had argued for a six year state prison term, in addition to 10 years of supervised probation.
Superior Court Judge Gregg Pasquale sentenced the defendant to serve four years to four years and one day in prison. Additionally, the defendant will be placed on supervised probation for two years after he is released from prison.
“This is an example of the brutal and violent domestic violence cases that I am targeting. I wish the court had adopted our recommendation because the defendant has demonstrated that he does not belong in society,” said District Attorney Quinn. “I will continue to vigorously prosecute these vicious and outrageous cases of domestic violence.”
