Westport Domestic Violence Case Results in Prison Sentence
Bristol County District Attorney’s Office
Thomas M. Quinn III
District Attorney
Press Release
August 18, 2016
Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinnn III announced today that a 31 year-old Fall River and Westport man was sentenced to serve three to four years in state prison after being convicted of violently assaulting his girlfriend on multiple occasions.
Nathan Moniz pleaded guilty this week in Fall River Superior Court to three counts of assault and battery, two counts of intimidating a witness and one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
The defendant first assaulted his girlfriend on June 20, 2015 when he threw her off the bed and onto the floor. Then on October 15, 2015, he assaulted her again. During this incident in Westport, the defendant punched the victim in the face, destroyed her phone as she attempted to call police and dragged her by her hair back into the house after she attempted to flee. The victim also had her head slammed up against a wall by the defendant multiple times.
After the defendant was arrested by Westport Police shortly after the October, 2015 assault, he was subjected to a dangerousness hearing in Fall River District Court and ordered held without bail. While in jail awaiting trial, the defendant called the victim and attempted to coerce to not testify against him, telling the victim that if he really wanted her dead she would be dead.
During a sentencing hearing held before Judge E. Susan Garsh in Fall River Superior Court this week, Assistant District Attorney Kyle McPherson argued that based on the facts of the case and the injuries sustained by the victim, the defendant should serve four to five years in prison, with an additional probation term upon his release. The defendant, however, requested a two year state prison sentence with no probation.
Judge Garsh sentenced Mr. Moniz to serve three to four years in state prison to be followed by three years of supervised probation. The defendant must stay away from the victim and must complete a domestic batterers class.
Since the defendant was held in jail, the victim has completed a domestic violence victim awareness class, became employed, is in the process of getting a restraining order against the defendant and is working towards obtaining full custody of their children.
“This is a clear example of extreme brutality inflicted by the defendant on his girlfriend and the mother of his children. No human being should be subjected to this type of violence. At the time he committed this offense, the defendant was on probation. While held in jail. he tried to coerce her into not testifying against him. It appears that the defendant will not be deterred from committing crimes against this victim, and the four year state prison sentence is needed to protect her from him,” said District Attorney Quinn. “It is critical that defendants like these are held without bail pending trial. In this case, the victim made great strides in moving forward with her life while the defendant was incarcerated. I commend her for that. “
Contact:
Gregg Miliote
Director of Communications
508-997-0711
774-292-9576—cell