Public Safety & Law Enforcement

Bristol County District Attorney Sam Sutter will formally announce his candidacy for re-election on Monday, March 15th at 1:15 p.m. at the historic Wamsutta Club, located at 427 County Street in New Bedford.

District Attorney Sutter will be delivering a major address, which will review the work his office has done to enhance public safety in Bristol County during his first three-plus years in office and will preview a number of new initiatives he plans to unveil if elected to a second term.

The public and media are invited to attend. http://www.samsutter.com

Police are investigating an apparent murder-suicide, which occurred early this afternoon in Fall River and Westport.

Preliminary investigation has revealed that at around 12:30 p.m. today, Alfred Arruda Jr., 43, of 80 Edmund St., Fall River, shot his brother, David Arruda, and his aunt, Barbara Platt, outside of the home they all shared with the Arruda’s parents at 80 Edmund St. Specific ages for both victims are unavailable at this time.

District Attorney Sam Sutter announced today that Robert Roy, 46, was convicted by a jury of his peers this afternoon of first degree murder. Mr. Roy was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Robert T. Kane to serve life in prison, with no possibility of parole.

Norfolk, MA, February 19, 2010 - Earl Sholley, 4th District United
States Republican Congressional Candidate praised the Amber Alert
System that is currently in place. The system, Sholley stated "is
responsible for the safe return of that 13-month-old child, who was
abducted in Swansea on Thursday. Our children are our future, and our
duty, as citizens and elected representatives is to put into place
legislation that aids in keeping them safe. Keeping its citizens safe
is one of the legitimate roles of government."

Sholley is opposing 15-term incumbent Barney Frank in the 2010 4th
District Congressional Race. Sholley noted the sharp contrast between
himself and Representative Frank. "Frank voted against the enhanced
nationwide Amber Alert legislation in 2003. The vote in the US Senate
was 98-0, and the vote in the US House was 400-25. Frank said at the
time he opposed the legislation because of Republican amendments
added to the bill. What were those amendments? They were more
stringent measures to punish pedophiles and child pornographers. It
shows, once again, how out of touch the incumbent is with his constituents.
I can promise the citizens of the 4th district, that, if elected, I will work
toward protecting the most vulnerable citizens of the Commonwealth,
our children. "

Bristol County District Attorney Sam Sutter, announced that Bryan James, 37, of New Bedford, was sentenced today in Taunton Superior Court by Judge Barbara Dortch-Okara to serve 12 to 15 years in state prison for having assaulted a 3 year-old girl in 2007. The defendant was also sentenced to serve 15 years probation to begin upon his release.

Bristol County District Attorney Sam Sutter announced that Bryan James, 37, of New Bedford, was convicted by a jury of his peers today for assaulting a 3-year-old girl in 2007.

The jury returned its verdict this afternoon around 4:30. Mr. James was convicted of three counts of assault and battery of a child---causing substantial injury and one count of simple assault and battery.

Mr. James will be sentenced in Taunton Superior Court Monday at 3 p.m. He will be held in jail without bail over the weekend.

The defendant was accused of biting off his girlfriend's daughter's upper lip and of assaulting her enough times to deform the girl's ears. The girl also sustained bruises to her arms during the assaults, all of which occurred inside the home Mr. James shared with his girlfriend on Newcomb Street in New Bedford.

Second Assistant District Attorney Silvia Rudman, who is the Chief of District Attorney Sutter's Abuse Unit, prosecuted the case on behalf of the Commonwealth.

The trial lasted two full weeks.

Westport Police received a 911 call around 11 p.m. Sunday regarding shots fired at the Oriental Pearl Restaurant, 576 State Road.

Upon arrival police located one deceased male and an injured female inside the restaurant.

The male, who has been identified as Paul Murphy, 64, of Fall River, is alleged to have shot his estranged wife Joan Murphy, 57, of Fall River. He then, according to a preliminary investigation, turned the gun on himself.

Joan Murphy was rushed to Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River before being transferred to Rhode Island Hospital. She was in critical condition early this morning.

The investigation into the incident, which remains ongoing, is being conducted by the Bristol County District Attorney's Office, the State Police Unit assigned to the district attorney's office and Westport Police.

The Massachusetts District Attorney’s Association has elected Bristol County District Attorney Sam Sutter its new Vice President for 2010. Timothy Cruz, the Plymouth County District Attorney, was elected President. Each term will last one year. Sutter is currently entering the final year of his first term as Bristol County District Attorney, which began on January 4, 2007 after he defeated a 16-year incumbent in the election of 2006.

Yesterday, the Bristol County Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Laura Lundquist, 98, with the second degree murder of 100-year-old Elizabeth Barrow. That indictment was received today by Judge Lloyd MacDonald in the New Bedford Superior Court. Upon review of this matter, the Court ordered Ms. Lundquist to be transported to the Taunton State Hospital for a competency evaluation prior to her arraignment.

A Bristol County Grand Jury today returned an indictment charging 98-year-old Laura Lundquist with second degree murder in connection to the September 24, 2009 homicide of 100-year-old Elizabeth Barrow at the Brandon Woods Nursing Home in Dartmouth.

“First, I would like to offer my warmest congratulations to the next Senator from Massachusetts , Martha Coakley.  She ran a superb, issues-oriented campaign.  It is more important than ever that those who believe in moving our nation forward with bold initiatives stand united behind her candidacy.  There is so much at stake for our country, our state and our cities and towns.  People from all walks of life need Martha’s strong and determined voice in the U.S. Senate right now.

Matthew Rufino, 24, of New Bedford and Jason Foley, 28, of Fairhaven, were both found dangerous and ordered held without bail for up to 90 days during their respective dangerousness hearings today.

District Attorney Sam Sutter announced today that a tractor trailer loaded with about 200 pounds of marijuana, with an estimated street value of $180,000, was seized at an undisclosed location in Dartmouth yesterday afternoon around 2 p.m.


Information provided by Detective Dennis Ledo of the New Bedford Police Department and Detective Robert Jacobs of the Fall River Police Department in conjunction with the Bristol District Attorney’s Office State Police Narcotics Unit, State Police Truck Team, Dartmouth Police and ICE agents led to the arrest of two individuals.

Ricardo Zamora, 61, and Joseph Zamora, 42, both of Wilder, Idaho, were charged with trafficking in marijuana and conspiracy to violate the drug laws. They were both arraigned in New Bedford District Court today, and ordered held on $50,000 cash bail.

Because the matter remains under investigation, we will be unable to provide any further information on this case at this time.

District Attorney Sam Sutter announced today that Pedro Mateo-German, 34, of no known address, was sentenced to serve 18 to 20 years in state prison after being convicted at trial of trafficking more than 200 grams of heroin and more than 100 grams of cocaine.

District Attorney Sam Sutter delivered the keynote address at the Massachusetts Police Association’s 109th Annual Convention in Springfield last Friday.

District Attorney Sutter---invited to speak before hundreds of police officers by the association’s board of directors---discussed his office’s successful crackdown on illegal guns in Bristol County, his continued push for legislation aimed at allowing prosecutors throughout the commonwealth to request dangerousness hearings when a defendant is charged with an illegal gun felony and his office’s renewed partnership with local and state police departments.

(FAIRHAVEN, MA), October 20, 2009 – Today at 9:30 a.m., the Town of Fairhaven will host a full-scale exercise (FSE) to evaluate and improve emergency response in the region.

The exercise will simulate an accident involving a school bus, which is being donated for this purpose by DATTCO. The incident will take place at the intersection of Parker Street and Fairlawn Avenue in Fairhaven and will involve police, fire, EMS, ambulance, HAZMAT, public works and other emergency personnel from the towns of Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Freetown, Mattapoisett, New Bedford and Rochester.

On September 24th at approximately 7 AM, state and local police were called to the Brandon Woods Nursing Home, 567 Dartmouth St. in Dartmouth for an unattended death. Upon arrival, police were notified that the victim, Elizabeth Barrow, 100, was found deceased in her bed by a nursing assistant during a routine check of the facility’s patients.

Her body was transported to the medical examiner’s office for an autopsy, the results of which revealed that the cause of death was manual strangulation and the manner of death, a homicide. The State Police Detectives Unit assigned to the Bristol County District Attorney Sam Sutter’s office, in conjunction with the Dartmouth police are engaged in an ongoing investigation of this matter.

No further information will be released at this time.

New Bedford, Massachusetts- The New Bedford Police Department, New Bedford

Mayor Scott W. Lang, and Bristol County District Attorney C. Samuel Sutter, and the Inter-Church Council announced today a “New Bedford Gun Safety Exchange” in an effort to prevent gun violence and accidental shootings in the city of New Bedford. On Sunday, October 4, from 2-5pm, firearms, weaponry, and ammunition will be accepted at the following “safe haven” locations:

NEW BEDFORD, MA– October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The Women’s Center is hosting several local activities during the month that will give the public the opportunity to show support for local victims and their families, renew their commitment to nonviolence, and heighten awareness in our community.

New Bedford, Massachusetts- On Sunday, September 27, 2009 at 2pm, please join Mayor Scott W. Lang, District Attorney Sam Sutter, other elected officials, Police Chief Ron Teachman, members of the faith community, and city residents for an anti-violence walk from the Paul Rodrigues Administration Building, located at the intersection of County and William Streets, to the steps of City Hall. A peace covenant signing ceremony will commence immediately following the walk.

Thursday, September 24th from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., “Traffick Jam” at the Our Lady of Assumption Church, 56 South 6th Street. The Traffick Jam is a community workshop developed by Citizens for Safety, a Massachusetts-based organization that strives to keep guns out of the hands of children and criminals without abridging the rights of responsible legal gun owners.

The workshop will bring city residents together with law enforcement and faith leaders to raise awareness about illegal firearms in our community, state and nation. Special guests at the Traffick Jam include District Attorney Sam Sutter, Mayor Scott Lang, New Bedford Police Chief Ronald Teachman and Massachusetts Secretary of Public Safety Kevin Burke. Residents are urged to either RSVP by calling Citizens for Safety at 617-233-5363 or arrive early.

Since District Attorney Sam Sutter announced an innovative new volunteer initiative at his office nearly two years ago, his prosecutors, managers and other staffers have spent more than 5,300 hours volunteering their time with 75 different agencies throughout Bristol County.

The New Bedford Faith Community---with strong support from Mayor Scott Lang’s office, District Attorney Sam Sutter’s office and the New Bedford Police Department---today announced a three-week long multi-pronged initiative aimed at curbing violence and the use of illegal guns in New Bedford.

District Attorney Sam "sudder" Sutter washes dishes and makes suds at Shawmut Diner, New Bedford.

Sam, a big Arizona Cardinals fan, made a friendly wager with the area's biggest Steelers fan, Carl Alves, on this past season Super Bowl.

As a means to pay up on his friendly wager, the DA had to wash dishes at the diner and serve customers. He, Carl Alves and others from the Shannon Grant committee used this event as a way to bring attention to the Youth Court and to raise funds for the Youth Court scholarship.

On Friday, August 21 around 4:30 p.m., Fairhaven Police responded to a home at 85 Howland St. regarding a male stabbing victim.

Preliminary investigation has revealed Keith D. Correia, 39, of 85 Howland St., was the victim of a stabbing inside the home. He was rushed to St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford where he was pronounced dead.

A 60-year-old New Bedford man has been ordered held without bail in connection to a double homicide, which occurred Friday night outside of an apartment complex at 332-A Smith St. in New Bedford.

A 60-year-old New Bedford man has been arrested in connection to a double homicide, which occurred Friday night outside of an apartment complex at 332-A Smith St. in New Bedford.

The Bristol County District Attorney’s Office and the State Police Unit assigned to this office are investigating a fatal police-involved shooting, which occurred on Milton Street in Dartmouth last night around 9:30 p.m.

District Attorney Sam Sutter and Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Investigations in Boston today announced details of “Operation Lightning Bolt,” an undercover wire interception investigation into an illegal drug trafficking enterprise in the Greater New Bedford area. The investigation has already resulted in the arrest of twelve individuals, with about a dozen others currently being sought... WATCH VIDEO OF PRESS CONFERENCE

BOSTON – Today, District Attorney Sam Sutter joined with Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley and a coalition of legislators, District Attorneys, and law enforcement organizations, to announce the filing of An Act to Combat Economic Crime, comprehensive economic crime legislation designed to give law enforcement the necessary tools to investigate and prosecute sophisticated criminal activities and enterprises in the 21st century. The bill, which is sponsored by 12 legislators, several District Attorneys, and the Attorney General, specifically updates the law in three areas, including money laundering, enterprise crime, and wire interception.