District Attorney Sam Sutter announced today that Sean Lague of Dartmouth, was sentenced to serve 30 months for carrying a loaded illegal firearm.

By Gregg Miliote (District Attorney's Office)
Published 01/31/2008
Announcements & Press Releases

Lague was subjected to a dangerousness hearing a week after his arrest

District Attorney Sam Sutter announced today that Sean Lague, 18, of 30 Ruby Court, Dartmouth, was sentenced to serve 30 months in jail yesterday after being convicted on charges of carrying an illegal firearm and carrying a loaded illegal firearm.

Lague was convicted after a two day trial in New Bedford District Court. Assistant Attorney General Matt Sylvia, who works for the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office through the Safe Neighborhoods Initiative Grant, prosecuted the case.

New Bedford Police received a call last October 21st regarding a male with a gun outside 8 Roosevelt St. The defendant was in front of the house when police arrived. Officer Carlos Depina began a pat frisk of the defendant, and after feeling a hard object at Lague’s waist area, the officer asked the defendant if he had a gun on him, at which point the defendant took off running. The defendant was subsequently apprehended by Lt. Steve Forand hiding on a porch in the yard of 7 Cleveland St. No gun was found on him at that time, but a further search of the area revealed a .44 Colt revolver loaded with 6 rounds in the cylinder. The illegal gun was found on a branch of a tree, which the defendant ran past.

Lague was subjected to a dangerousness hearing a week after his arrest, and was ordered held without bail for up to 90 days while Sutter’s prosecutors quickly prepared for trial.

Assistant Attorney General Sylvia requested that Lague be sentenced to 30 months in jail for the first charge and then serve an additional 20 months for the second charge. Judge Joseph Macy, however, sentenced Lague to serve 30 months in jail for the first charge and suspended a 30 month sentence on the second charge for four years after the completion of his jail sentence. The four year suspension means if Lague is convicted of a new crime during that four year time span, he would be ordered back to jail for an additional 30 months.

District Attorney Sutter called yesterday’s conviction and sentence a victory for the public safety of the people of Bristol County.

“I want to thank Matt Sylvia and the New Bedford Police Department for their outstanding work on this case. The part of this case I am happiest about is that we went from start to finish in 94 days. That is a huge part of the message I want to send out to anyone giving any thought to carrying an illegal firearm,” Sutter said. “You should remember that if we catch you, you’re not going to spend a free day for a long time. You will be held without bail; we’re going to get ready for trial within 90 days and when we convict you, you’re going away for a long time.