BOSTON, March 30, 2016—Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans and Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley today released video footage depicting an individual who may have valuable information on an active homicide investigation.

At about 2:00 am on Nov. 26, 2015, 30-year-old Jephthe Chery suffered a fatal gunshot wound when he was caught in the crossfire of a gunfight on Yawkey Way.  Investigators believe that Chery was an innocent bystander and had no role in the violence. Three other men were wounded in the gunfight but survived their injuries; one of them, DOMINIQUE CARPENTER-GRADY, has been indicted on firearms charges following his arrest amid the ongoing investigation. more »

BOSTON, March 30, 2016—A Brighton man found guilty of larceny was arraigned today on new charges alleging that he returned to the courthouse and tampered with the clerk’s file, altering the jury verdict slip to reflect a “not guilty” verdict and then presenting the doctored slip as genuine, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

DAVID SCHER (D.O.B. 11/22/82) was arraigned today in Suffolk Superior Court on a five-count indictment charging him with perjury, tampering with a court document, forgery, and two counts of uttering a false document. Because he walked into his summons arraignment, Clerk Magistrate Lisa Medeiros released him on his own recognizance and scheduled his trial for Dec. 13. more »

BOSTON, March 29, 2016—A Brighton man found guilty of stealing a laptop has been indicted for allegedly returning to the downtown courthouse where he was convicted and tampering with the jury verdict slip maintained by the clerk’s office, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

DAVID SCHER (D.O.B. 11/22/82) was indicted March 9 on charges of perjury, tampering with a document for use in an official proceeding, forgery, and two counts of uttering a false document. He is expected to be arraigned tomorrow in Suffolk Superior Court. more »

BOSTON, March 29, 2016—A Roxbury woman was charged today with assaulting 3-year-old Kenai Whyte, who died last month under circumstances that remain under investigation, Suffolk county District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

MARIA BUIE (D.O.B. 7/28/92) was arraigned today on one count of assault and battery on a child causing substantial bodily injury after she surrendered herself to Boston Police. At the request of Assistant District Attorney Craig Iannini, Roxbury Municipal Court Judge David Poole set her bail at $100,000. more »

BOSTON, March 29, 2016—A Dorchester man was arraigned today on firearm and other charges for his role amid the ongoing investigation into the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Jephthe Chery outside a Fenway bar on Thanksgiving morning, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

DOMINIQUE CARPENTER-GRADY (D.O.B. 7/3/89) was arraigned today in Suffolk Superior Court on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm as a second offense, unlawful possession of ammunition, carrying a loaded firearm, discharging a firearm within 500-feet of a building, and three counts of attempted assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.  At the request of Assistant District Attorney John Pappas, Clerk Magistrate Lisa Medeiros set bail at $250,000.  According to prosecutors, Carpenter-Grady was convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm in 2012. more »

BOSTON, March 25, 2016—An afterschool program teacher from Revere was arraigned today on charges of possessing child pornography, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

IAN SILVER-ECK (D.O.B. 12/1/95) a.k.a. IAN HENNIG of Revere was arraigned in Chelsea District Court today on one count each of possession of obscene material and possession of child pornography.  Assistant District Attorney Nicole Poirier of the DA’s Child Protection Unit requested bail of $10,000 and conditions that he wear a GPS monitor; not reside, work, volunteer, or have unsupervised contact with children under 18; stay away from afterschool workshops offered by his current employer; not loiter near schools, playgrounds, or other areas where children congregate; not use the internet; and allow the Department of Probation to contact all electronic devices, computers, or digital storage devices in the event he is to be released on bail.  Judge Emily Karstetter imposed $1,000 bail and all of the requested conditions after Silver-Eck walked into court this morning. more »

BOSTON, March 25, 2016—A Chelsea man has been sentenced to prison after he was convicted today of attacking a bouncer with a machete in 2014, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

A Suffolk Superior Court jury deliberated for one day before convicting JOSE DAVID BENITEZ (D.O.B. 11/29/88) this morning of mayhem and aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.  Judge Elizabeth Fahey sentenced Benitez to 10 to 12 years in prison and a consecutive probationary term of 20 years.  Assistant District Attorney Montez Haywood of the DA’s Senior Trial Unit had recommended a term of 14 to 15 years in prison followed by five years of probation. more »

BOSTON, March 23, 2016—In recognition of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley announced a series of events in April to raise awareness of child abuse, honor survivors, and help victims through the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County.

Among the events planned is the 3^rd annual Ginormous Climb to raise funds for the CAC on April 2.  Volunteers from Conley’s office, Boston Police, and other organizations will climb the 60-story stairwell of 200 Clarendon, formerly the John Hancock Tower.  Last year’s climb raised more than $100,000, far exceeding the event’s $75,000 goal.  This year, Conley hopes to top that amount again.

To learn more about the Ginormous Climb, including how to take part, visit http://climbforkids.suffolkcac.org/default.asp.

The money raised will support the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County, which acts as a hub connecting children who have been abused, neglected, or exploited and their non-offending caregivers with a myriad of services in a child-centered environment.  This allows victims to meet with police, prosecutors, medical and mental health clinicians, social service providers, and others at one location, reducing the number of times a victim must disclose the abuse and limiting the number of agencies he or she must visit for services.  Last year alone, more than 1,500 reports of child physical and sexual abuse were referred to the center.

To learn more about the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County, visit www.SuffolkCAC.org. more »

BOSTON, March 22, 2016—In a case made possible by civilian witnesses who tipped off Transit Police, a North Attleboro man was held on high bail for allegedly carrying a loaded gun in a crowded train station following Sunday’s parade, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

NICHOLA COSSETTE (D.O.B. 2/5/91) was arraigned yesterday in the Suffolk County Gun Court on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and carrying a loaded firearm.  At the request of Assistant District Attorney Amanda Cascione, chief of the DA’s Gun Prosecution Task Force, Judge Sally Kelly set bail in the amount of $25,000. more »

BOSTON, March 21, 2016—The woman who set the fire that killed 20-year-old Crystal Lynn Blanchard in her Chelsea apartment five years ago was sentenced to life in prison for her actions, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

MELISSA PFEIFFER (D.O.B. 1/12/84) was convicted Feb. 10 of second-degree murder under the theory of felony murder for starting the Dec. 24, 2010, fire that engulfed her Spruce Street apartment building, trapping Blanchard on the second floor, where she died. Pfeiffer was also convicted of one count of arson and two counts of causing injury to a firefighter as a result of criminal conduct. more »

BOSTON, March 16, 2016— Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley, Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans, Massachusetts Inspector General Glenn A. Cunha, and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Inspector General David A. Montoya today announced that the former head of a Boston elder services program has been indicted for stealing thousands of dollars that were intended to benefit the city’s seniors.

As the result of a multi-agency investigation, a Suffolk County grand jury today returned indictments charging ALFRED G. DAVIS (D.O.B. 5/20/45) of Lynn with two counts of larceny over $250 and single counts of forgery and uttering. more »

BOSTON, March 17, 2016—A Revere man has been convicted of murdering 50-year-old Ronald Russo of Winthrop and faces life in prison when he is sentenced next week, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

A Suffolk Superior Court jury today found PETER DECONINCK (DOB 10/5/66) guilty of first-degree murder in Russo’s 2013 stabbing death.  At his sentencing on March 24, Judge Linda Giles is expected to impose the mandatory sentence for that offense, life in prison without the possibility of parole. more »

BOSTON, March 17, 2016—The Suffolk County Grand Jury today returned a 12-count indictment charging a repeat offender with attempted murder and other offenses in the shooting of a Boston Police officer earlier this year, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

The indictments charge GRANT HEADLEY (D.O.B. 6/28/88) of Dorchester with armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery by discharging a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm as a second or subsequent offense, unlawfully carrying a loaded firearm, unlawful possession of a large-capacity weapon and feeding device, unlawful possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, unlawful distribution of a Class B substance as a second or subsequent offense, unlawful possession of a Class B substance with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and being a Level II armed career criminal. more »

Gunman Guilty of Murder, Sentenced to Life in Prison

BOSTON, March 15, 2016— The Hyde Park man who fatally shot 22-year-old Nicholas Martinez in the South End in 2012 was sentenced to life in prison today after a jury convicted him of murder, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

A Suffolk Superior Court jury deliberated for less than a day before convicting RAYMOND CONCEPCION (D.O.B. 4/30/97) this afternoon of first-degree murder under the theory of extreme atrocity or cruelty. Jurors also convicted him of unlawful possession of a firearm in connection with Martinez’s killing.  more »

Case Set New Standard for Post-Conviction Claims of Incompetence

BOSTON, March 15, 2016— The state’s highest court today affirmed the first-degree murder conviction of a man who shot his estranged mother in the head, killing her, more than a decade ago, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

DEMOND CHATMAN (D.O.B. 6/20/73) was convicted of first-degree murder in 2002 for the Feb. 10, 2000, shooting death of 41-year-old Mary Chatman in Roxbury. The Supreme Judicial Court today affirmed that conviction and an earlier lower court decision denying his motion for a new trial. The SJC found that Chatman failed to offer compelling evidence that he was unable to assist in his own defense at the time of his trial – an argument he did not raise until six years after those proceedings. more »

BOSTON, March 15, 2016—Nine men have been arraigned and four more are the subjects of active arrest warrants in connection with a group attack that seriously injured a 20-year-old man at a Brighton bar earlier this year, Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans and Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

The following men have been arrested by Boston Police and arraigned in Brighton Municipal Court on one count each of assault and battery and three counts each of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, reflecting shod feet, glass bottles, and chairs used during the Jan. 24 attack at the Green Briar Pub on Washington Street: more »

BOSTON, March 15, 2016—Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley and United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz will join East Boston middle school students and engage young people from across Boston in an annual outreach program that brings law enforcement, city government, and youth service providers together in pursuit of safety for kids and teens.

“Some of the most important work we do as prosecutors takes place in a classroom, not a courtroom,” District Attorney Conley said. “Engaging young people and offering meaningful alternatives to gang-related crime is at the heart of our emphasis on prevention and intervention. National Youth Violence Prevention Week is a chance to highlight that work and the huge contributions that young people make to our city each and every day.” more »

BOSTON, March 14, 2016—Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley and Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans are warning potential renters to avoid online leasing scams amid an ongoing investigation into several incidents in Boston.

Suffolk prosecutors and Boston Police detectives are currently investigating incidents in which victims responded to apartment listings on web sites such as Craigslist and sent payments with the expectation that they would be leasing the apartment in the ad.  The victims would later arrive at the residence prepared to move in, only to find the property already occupied and the rightful owner unaware of any lease agreement. more »

BOSTON, March 9, 2016— A Boston dance instructor is currently held without bail after his arraignment yesterday on charges he indecently assaulted a child during lessons at the defendant’s North End home last year, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

WILSON ANTHONY (D.O.B. 7/19/96) was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court yesterday on two counts each of aggravated rape of a child and indecent assault and battery on a child. At the request of Assistant District Attorney Brenna Flynn of the DA’s Child Protection Unit, Judge Eleanor Sinnott ordered Anthony held without bail until his next court appearance. more »

BOSTON, March 8, 2016—The evidence gathered thus far on the multiple shooting that left 19-year-old Pablo Villeda dead indicates a single gunman using a single weapon, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley’s office said today.

EMANUEL MARRERO (D.O.B. 6/3/99) of Lynn was arraigned in Chelsea District Court today on charges of murder, armed assault with intent to murder, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon stemming from the incident for allegedly opening fire at a crowded party, killing Villeda and injuring six other young men and women. At prosecutors’ request, he was held without bail. more »

BOSTON, March 8, 2016—Suffolk prosecutors and city officials yesterday honored two groups of East Boston middle schoolers who graduated from anti-violence training.

Two seventh grade classes at Mario Umana Academy were honored for completing Overcoming Violence, a violence prevention training program offered by Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley’s office.  more »

BOSTON, March 7, 2016—Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley and Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes tonight announced the arrest of a juvenile in the shooting death of 19-year-old Pablo Villeda.

Chelsea Police detectives and State troopers assigned to Conley’s office this evening placed the 16-year-old Lynn youth under arrest on a murder charge stemming from Villeda’s death early yesterday morning. He will be arraigned tomorrow in Chelsea District Court. Additional charges are likely to follow, police and prosecutors said. more »

BOSTON, March 7, 2016—The young man shot to death in a vacant apartment on Washington Avenue early yesterday morning has been identified as 19-year-old Pablo Villeda of Chelsea, Police Chief Brian Kyes and District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

Police and prosecutors are asking for the public’s help as they continue to investigate the early-morning shooting, which also left six other young men and women with gunshot wounds. Those victims were three males ages 15, 18, and 22, and three females ages 15, 17, and 18. All are expected to recover from their injuries, as is a seventh survivor who sustained minor injuries while fleeing the gunfire. more »

BOSTON, March 4, 2016— A Stoughton man was arraigned this week for heroin trafficking after he attempted to hide the drugs in his shoe during a motor vehicle stop, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

JOSUA PAGAN (D.O.B. 07/03/81) was arraigned Wednesday in West Roxbury Municipal Court on charges of trafficking heroin and a civil infraction of having no inspection sticker.  At the request of Assistant District Attorney Paul Lewis, Judge Sally Kelly imposed $60,000 bail and revoked Pagan’s bail on an open Suffolk Superior Court case charging heroin trafficking, unlawful possession of ammunition, and money laundering. more »

BOSTON, March 3, 2016—Students at Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley’s alma mater have honored him as a “trailblazer” in efforts to serve underrepresented communities and increase diversity within the legal profession.

The Suffolk University Law School Student Bar Association Diversity and Inclusion Committee recognized Conley with the Trailblazer for Social Change award at its annual Diversity Dinner last night. Conley, a 1983 graduate of Suffolk Law, called the award “one of the greatest honors of my career and one that every prosecutor should aspire to.” more »

BOSTON, March 1, 2016—An alleged career criminal was arraigned yesterday on charges he was drunk behind the wheel of a car with a firearm inside, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

HAKIM JACKSON (D.O.B. 11/5/86) of Jamaica Plain was arraigned yesterday in Dorchester Municipal Court on charges of operating under the influence of alcohol, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, carrying a loaded firearm, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, failure to stop, and a marked lines violation.  He was additionally charged as a Level I armed career criminal as a result of a prior conviction for armed robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon.  Assistant District Attorney Robert Connelly requested bail of $15,000 and orders that Jackson remain alcohol free subject to random testing, wear a GPS monitor, and abide by a curfew in the event he is to be released on bail.  Prosecutors also filed a motion to revoke Jackson’s bail on an open case out of Waltham District Court charging assault and battery.  Judge Thomas Kaplanes set bail at $10,000 and revoked Jackson’s bail in the open case. more »