Repeat Offender With Loaded Firearm Sentenced to Prison
Bristol County District Attorney’s Office
Thomas M. Quinn III
District Attorney
PRESS RELEASE
December 13, 2016
A 26-year-old repeat offender arrested last year in New Bedford while carrying a loaded illegal firearm and narcotics was sentenced to serve up to six-and-a-half years in state prison last week, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.
Jose Mendez, formerly of 4 Linden Court in New Bedford, pleaded guilty last week in Fall River Superior Court to charges of carrying an illegal firearm, possession of a loaded illegal firearm and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
On February 11, 2015, the defendant was a passenger in a motor vehicle stopped by New Bedford Police for an expired inspection sticker. Both the driver and the defendant quickly exited the car before police approached and began acting suspiciously. The defendant was told to get back in car but only goes halfway back into car, with his body partially outside the car. The defendant continued to not comply with officers’ commands and was blatantly ignoring police.
The defendant was finally brought under control by officers at the scene and patted down for officer safety, at which point a fully loaded 9 millimeter handgun is found in the defendant’s jacket pocket. A further search in the area where the defendant was sitting resulted in the discovery of a baggie containing suspected crack cocaine.
This defendant has previously been convicted twice of distributing class B drugs and once for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Robert DiGiantomaso and the guilty plea was accepted by Judge Raymond Veary. Judge Veary sentenced to defendant to serve five to six-and-a-half years in state prison.
“This is another example of a repeat offender who continues to commit serious crimes,” District Attorney Quinn said. “He persists in violating the laws by dealing drugs while armed with a loaded gun. This is a dangerous defendant who needs to be kept off the streets for a significant period of time.”
Contact:
Gregg Miliote
Director of Communications
508-997-0711
774-292-9576—cell