Career Criminal Who Robbed Fall River Bank Sent Back to Prison

Bristol County District Attorney’s Office

Thomas M. Quinn III
District Attorney

Press Release
September 21, 2023

A 58-year-old career criminal from West Warwick, RI who committed a bank robbery in Fall River last December was sentenced recently to serve a decade in prison, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

John Barboza pled guilty in Fall River Superior Court to a single indictment charging him with Armed and Masked Robbery.

On December 3, 2022, the defendant, while wearing  surgical mask, entered the Rockland Trust Bank and approached a teller with a note that read, “robbery, gun, 100s and 50s, fast or you die fast.”  After being given cash from the teller, the defendant ran out of the bank and behind a nearby Cumberland Farms, where he got on a bike and took off towards the woods.  Police, with the use of K9, tracked him through the woods and found him a short time later with just under $500 in cash.

The defendant has a lengthy history of serious convictions and has served multiple state prison sentences for armed robberies and assaultive behavior.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Gillian Kirsch and the state prison sentence was imposed by Judge Valerie Yarashus.

“The defendant is a career criminal who has been convicted of similar offenses going back 30 years. He clearly presents an ongoing danger to the community and needed to be locked up,” District Attorney Quinn said.

Contact:

Gregg Miliote

Director of Communications

774-292-9576