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A 24-year-old New Bedford man who is alleged to have threatened violence and intimidated a New Bedford District Court prosecutor last week was apprehended this weekend and was detained yesterday pending the results of an upcoming dangerousness hearing.
Jonathan Perez-Martinez was arrested by Massachusetts State Police Troopers on Saturday and charged with witness intimidation and threats. A dangerousness hearing is scheduled to occur on February 25 in New Bedford District Court.
On February 12, while in Courtroom 3, the defendant was sitting in the audience waiting for a case involving his brother to be heard by the court when he is alleged to have told a prosecutor, “I’m going to f*ck you up.” When the prosecutor turned around, the defendant is alleged to have said, “Yeah, I’m talking to you…I’m going to f*ck you up.” The defendant then immediately left the courtroom.
Shortly thereafter, the prosecutor exited the courtroom, walked through the lobby and entered into the screening area where he was about the leave the courthouse. However, a court officer who witnessed the incident inside the courtroom, stopped the prosecutor and advised him to wait until the defendant had left the property before exiting the building. At that point, the prosecutor looked outside and observed the defendant flipping him off with his middle finger.
A State Trooper who was inside the courthouse at the time, took a report of the incident from the victim and also spoke with a court officer and probation officer who witnessed the incident. A warrant for the defendant’s arrest was issued on Friday and the defendant was apprehended hiding behind a bedroom door at a friend’s apartment on Myrtle Street on Saturday afternoon.
“Threatening a prosecutor or any court official in open court is outrageous. On top of it, the defendant was waiting for the prosecutor outside when the court proceedings concluded. I will not tolerate this type of lawlessness and contempt for the judicial system. Our office will make every attempt to hold this defendant accountable,” Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III said.
