Man Who Robbed Elderly Woman in Broad Daylight Sent to Prison
Bristol County District Attorney’s Office
Thomas M. Quinn III
District Attorney
Press Release
May 1, 2017
A 34-year-old Fall River man who robbed an 83-year-old woman in broad daylight last July was sentenced to serve five years in state prison last week, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.
Shane Cartin pleaded guilty in Fall River Superior Court last week to a single-count indictment charging him with unarmed robbery of a person over 60 years old.
On July 19, 2016 at 10:45am, Fall River Police responded to area of 730 Bedford Street for a robbery. The 83-years-old victim was walking along Bedford Street and leaned against a building to rest in the shade. The victim had her pocketbook on the sidewalk between her feet. At the same time, the defendant was riding a bicycle on the same side of the sidewalk. The defendant rode up to the victim and kicked the pocketbook out from between her feet. When police arrived, they observed the victim was visibly shaking, crying, and distraught.
Good Samaritans, who witnessed to incident, followed the defendant and ended up getting the victim’s pocketbook back, which they returned to the victim. These individuals left the scene before police arrived, and their identity is unknown. Other Good Samaritans flagged down a state trooper who was working a construction detail in the area and told them the male suspect fled north on Plain Street. The trooper located the defendant in the area and detained him as he was running into his apartment building.
During his plea hearing last week, Assistant District Attorney Carolyn Morrissette argued that based on the facts of the case and the defendant’s lengthy criminal history, he should serve eight to 10 years in state prison. The defendant, however, request a more lenient three to five year prison term. Judge Thomas McGuire ended up sentencing the defendant to serve five years to five years and one day in state prison.
“The defendant preyed on a defenseless elderly woman. It doesn’t not really matter why he did it. Our elders are vulnerable victims and need to be protected,” District Attorney Quinn said. “The defendant was on probation at the time that he committed this offense. The five year sentence was well-deserved.”
Contact:
Gregg Miliote
Director of Communications
508-997-0711
774-292-9576–cell