Boston Criminal Lawyers Blog

Two Dorchester Men Arrested for Shooting 15 Year Old Teen

Published on: June 13, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Chester A. Johnson, 24, and Terrance L. Blalock, 27, both from Dorchester, Massachusetts, were arrest last night in connection with the shooting of a 15 year old old in Dorchester.

According to the Boston Police Department, the 15 year old was riding his bike on Eustis Street in Dorchester when a car pulled up alongside him. One man got out of the car, fired several shots at the teenager, and then got back in the car. The car was eventually pulled over and both Johnson and Blalock were arrested on Quincy Street less than 20 minutes after the shooting.

The 15 year old victim was taken to a Boston area hospital where his injuries were reported as non-life-threatening. This incident marks the fifth shooting of a Boston teenager in the last several weeks.

Suit Filed Against Lowell Police Department Alleging Police Misconduct

Published on: June 10, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Kenneth McElroy, 45, has filed a lawsuit in Boston Federal Court alleging Civil Rights violations by the Lowell Police Department. He is seeking $500,000 in damages for a herniated disc, nerve damage, and soreness and bruising that caused him to miss several months of work.

The incident resulted from McElroy’s arrest on criminal charges including Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Disorderly Conduct. Attorneys representing the City of Lowell Police Department claim the lawsuit is without merit and have asked that the suit be thrown out.

According to his lawsuit, McElroy drove to Lowell in April of 2008 to pickup up James Earle who was to help him with a construction project. As he was driving, the operator of a parked truck opened its driver’s-side door and nearly caused an accident. Not knowing if McElroy had struck the vehicle, he got out of his truck to see if there was any damage to either vehicle.

Fugitive Who Escape from Sheriff’s Van Apprehended in Charlestown

Published on: June 9, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

As a follow-up to my June 4, 2010 post on the Boston Criminal Lawyers Blog, Stephen Woodard, who had escaped from a Suffolk County Sheriff’s van, surrendered this past Monday in Charlestown, Massachusetts.

You may recall that Woodard escaped from the Sheriff’s van on foot last Friday and then stole a Department of Public Works vehicle that had the keys inside. A tip to the Boston Police Department led them to an apartment in McNulty Court in Charlestown, where Woodard was found.

Woodard is currently facing Armed Robbery and Drug Charges and Charlestown and East Boston District Courts, but could also face additional charges, including Escape and Larceny of a Motor Vehicle.

Dad Drives Drunk, Crashes with UnBelted Child in Boston

Published on: June 8, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Michael Tompkins, 40 of North Weymouth, Massachusetts, was arraigned yesterday morning in Quincy District Court with numerous Drunk Driving charges for driving while under the influence and crashing the car, all with his 6 year old, without a seat belt, in the car.

Tompkins allegedly rear-ended another vehicle last Friday, and then drove away from the scene. The woman whose minivan he hit, then followed him while calling the police. At his arraignment in Quincy District Court, prosecutors alleged that when he was stopped, Tompkins could not stand up without help from the police; slurred his speech; smelled of alcohol and admitted to drinking. Although Tompkins’ 6 year old daughter complained of some pain, it appeared that she was OK.

Held on $2,500 cash bail after his arraignment, Tompkins was charged with numerous Drunk Driving Charges, including DUI/OUI, 3rd Offense; Child Endangerment While Under the Influence of Alcohol; Failing to Properly Restrain a Child in a Vehicle; Failure to Stop for Police; Leaving the Scene of an Accident; and Driving to Endanger.

Boston Police Net One of Largest Drug Busts in City History, Defense Case Appears Strong

Published on: June 6, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Executing a Search Warrant this past week, the Boston Police Department netted the seizure of almost 1 ton of marijuana, divided into 40 bales, from a Dorchester, Massachusetts apartment, resulting in Edgar Gonzalez being arraigned on Trafficking charges. Call it a stroke of luck, however…

The Boston Police, along with the Massachusetts State Police and FBI, were executing the Search Warrant a three-decker apartment on Wilcock Street. The marijuana, however, was actually located in an apartment above them that was not a target. When the police arrived on scene, however, Edgar Gonzalez was allegedly seen leaving the building. The police pursued and purportedly tied him to the upstairs apartment whose door was left open.

As a result, the Boston Police relied upon an immigration detainment order by the U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, and in conjunction with his ‘behavior in trying to flee’, executed a “protective sweep” of the apartment. Within the apartment, Boston Police seized 40 bales of marijuana wrapped in plastic, including scales, a vacuum sealer and shrink wrap.

19 Year Old Indicted for August 2009 Murder at Dorchester’s YMCA

Published on: June 5, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

A Suffolk County Grand Jury this past week returned indictments of Murder against Sherman Badgett, 19, related to the shooting death of Aaron Brown at the YMCA in Dorchester last August.

Badgett is alleged to have shot Aaron Brown, 19 at the time, in the head outside a teen dance at the Dorchester YMCA on Washington Street. He was indicted for Murder and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, and is currently held without bail.

Boston Criminal Lawyer Lefteris K. Travayiakis is an experienced criminal defense lawyer handling all major felony charges, including Murder and Gun / Firearms Crimes.

East Boston Court Prisoner Escapes from Custody Still Sought by Boston Police

Published on: June 4, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Stephen Woodard, 20, was in the East Boston Division of the Boston Municipal Court this past week answering criminal charges of Armed Robbery and Drug Charges. In custody, Woodard was in custody and was to be transported by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department to jail pending his criminal case.

Woodard, however, managed to escape from the Suffolk County Sherriff’s jail van, steal a Department of Public Works vehicle that was parked with the keys inside, and get away. Although he was chased through Chelsea, Revere, Everett and Malden, Woodard managed to abandon the DPW vehicle and escape. He is still being sought…

After having been arraigned in Charlestown District Court on Armed Robbery charges for allegedly robbing a man at knifepoint in Charlestown, Woodard was brought to the East Boston Court because he had committed the Armed Robbery while he was out on bail on unrelated Drug Crimes charges.

Former State Senator Wilkerson Plead Guilty to Attempted Extortion in Boston’s Federal Court

Published on: June 3, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Diane Wilkerson, the former State Senator from Roxbury, Massachusetts, appeared in Boston’s Federal Court today and pled Guilty to 8 counts of Attempted Extortion.

Wilkerson was charged with Attempted Extortion for allegedly taking thousands of dollars in bribes. She was initially charged under a 32 count indictment, which also included Conspiracy to Extort Cash, Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud. 24 of those indictments were dismissed by Federal prosecutors in exchange for her guilty plea to the 8 counts of Attempted Extortion.

The substance of the criminal indictments on the extortion charges included taking bribes totaling $23,500 to secure a liquor license for a nightclub, as well as promising to influence legislation relative to commercial development in her district of Roxbury. Federal prosecutors also alleged that Wilkerson accepted $23,500 from a Roxbury businessman, Ronald Wilburn. Wilburn, however, was cooperating with the FBI and assisted in procuring surveillance video of Wilkerson stuffing cash into her bra.

Boston Police Initiates Ridiculous Anti-Crime Strategy

Published on: June 2, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Earlier this week, Boston Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis released a flier throughout various communities in the City of Boston showing photos of 10 unidentified young men the police allege belong to a street gang. I’m not going to qualify the flier by posting it on this Blog, but it looks like a mug shot composite. The purpose in releasing the photos of these men, they police say, is to “shame them” for being gang members and to make them “outcasts” in their neighborhood.

Although the Boston Police Commissioner then qualified the Department’s objectives by clarifying that the men depicted in the photographs were not currently facing any criminal charges or had outstanding warrants, he stated that they were “absolutely high on [the Boston Police Department’s] list of targets”. Well, if they haven’t committed a crime and they’re not currently wanted for a crime, then tell us: why are they a high priority target??? The objective, apparently, is to receive information from the public on these men and charge them with whatever criminal activity gained from any tips.

Interestingly enough, I represented two of the men depicted in the photograph released by the Boston Police Department. One of the men had no prior criminal history and pled guilty to Assault & Battery with a Dangerous Weapon and Intimidation of a Witness; the other was charged with Armed Robbery and was found Not Guilty after trial (and this man had no prior criminal convictions). …hardly the bios of reputed gang members who are high on the Boston Police target list. Having met these 2 kids and gotten to know them over the course of a year, I find it unbelievable that these two are among the top ten most reputed gang members in the City of Boston.

Two Boston Men Arraigned for Murder of 14 Year Old Youth in Dorchester

Published on: June 1, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Cristostomo Lopes, 20, and Joshua Fernandes, 16, were arraigned this morning in the Dorchester Division of the Boston Municipal Court in connection with the Sunday Murder of 14 year old Nicholas Fomby-Davis.

At their arraignment, Suffolk County prosecutors alleged that Lopes and Fernandes both jumped Fomby-Davis on Bowdoin Street as he rode his motor scooter. Once off the scooter, prosecutors allege that Lopes held Fomby-Davis while Fernandes fired 3 shots at him, one striking him in the chest.

Immediately following the shooting, a Boston Police Officer happened to be driving home and saw Lopes and Fernandes crouching between cars. The two were eventually apprehended after a chase by Boston Police Officers, and a .25 caliber gun believed to be the murder weapon was found underneath the car where Fernandes was allegedly seen kneeling beside.