New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
On Tuesday, December 22, at about 8:40pm Massachusetts parole officers Nathan Mendes, Robert Mello, Timothy White, and Mychal Grady developed information that a wanted individual was staying at a house on Mason Street Extension in Onset. The parole officers requested the assistance of the Wareham Police Department to serve the warrant. The wanted individual was on parole for murder (in 1986 in Barnstable Superior Court), and currently under investigation for a recent crime in the Boston area, In addition, information was received that the suspect had commented that he was not going to be taken back to jail.
Wareham Police Detective Bryan Whalen along with Lieutenant Peter Flannery, Sergeant Steve Soqui, Officers James White, and Malik Wilkes went to the home with the parole officers. While searching the house, it became apparent that the suspect had secreted himself in the attic space. The officers were unable to access the area safely, and instead surrounded the house at the direction of Lieutenant Flannery. Multiple other off-duty Wareham officers responded from their homes after the request for assistance was sent out.
Wareham Police Department photo.
The Southeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council SWAT team responded, along with Plymouth County Sheriff’s De[artment, Massachusetts State police, and a command unit from the Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council. In addition, an ambulance and EMS Director David Evans staged nearby,
The area was secured, and neighboring houses were evacuated. Shortly before 10:00pm, the suspect began to strike the attic exhuste fan in an attempt to escape. Chief Walcek, using a cruiser loudspeaker directed the suspect to surrender and come out of the house. Within a few minutes the suspect appeared in the kitchen and was placed in custody without incident.
Gino Gaillardetz (56), of Chelsea, was transported to the Wareham Police station by Officers Christopher Smith and Eric Machado, where he was processed before being released to the custody of parole officers.
The SWAT team performed a protective sweep of the home to ensure that no other suspects or weapons were in the residence.
Chief Walcek said, “This potentially dangerous situation involving a convicted murderer was resolved safely by the professionalism and cooperation of several law enforcement agencies.” He added, “this was a team effort, and our off-duty lieutenants, sergeants, officers, detectives, and juvenile detectives who responded from home to assist is typical of the dedication of personnel at the WPD. In addition, our amazing communications officers nor only coordinated incoming resources, they continued to handle regular shift related calls.”
Wareham Police Department photo.
During the incident, Deputies James Loring and Scott Sawler of the PCSD observed a neighbor who had refused to evacuate, come outside of his house holding a firearm. The deputies ordered the man to go back into his house. After Gaillardetz was secured, the deputies observed the male in his doorway again. with the pistol in his hand. Chief Walcek was walking back to his cruiser when the deputies alerted him to the armed individual.
The chief and other officers approached the man who now had secured the pistol. It was determined that he had a lawful firearms permit, however his permit and firearm were seized pending additional investigation.
