Police arrest suspect after standoff in Revere

Published July 13, 2011 in The Boston Globe, page B2

After a nearly five-hour standoff, police entered a Revere home where a suspected armed robber known as the Backstreet Bandit was staying and arrested him last night after finding the man hiding in the attic, police said.

Rolando Gala, 29, of Boston was taken into custody after the standoff, said James Guido, the police incident commander on scene. The standoff began when Revere police tried to serve an arrest warrant on Gala at 68 Dale St. earlier yesterday.

Malden police had obtained a warrant for Gala in connection with the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force in the robbery of Brookline Bank at 196 Commercial St. in Malden, officials said in a statement. He is suspected in other recent robberies in the area, they said.

Police tried to enter the two-story home at 4:30 p.m., when Gala would not surrender and said he had a weapon, according to Guido. Other units were then called in.

Revere, Everett, and Malden police accompanied by Boston FBI and SWAT teams were on hand trying to coax Gala to come out.

The Revere Special Operations Unit, firing pepper spray, finally entered the home. Gala initially could not be located, but he was found in the attic, Guido said. Gala was arrested at approximately 9:15 p.m. without incident.

Gala has acquired the nickname Backstreet Bandit from the FBI after a string of robberies last year in which officials believed the robber’s fedora and button-down shirts resembled the clothing worn by the popular 1990s boy band, the Backstreet Boys.

A neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said she was at the scene yesterday for more than three hours. At one point, she estimated several hundred people had gathered. She also said that she saw multiple police dogs and that authorities shot gas into the home.

It was not immediately clear last night what Gala was doing at that home. He was turned over to Malden police last night.

“You might see an ambulance or fire truck, but you hardly ever see cops,’’ the neighbor said in describing the neighborhood.

George Rotondo, a Revere city councilor since 2003, said the area is normally a quiet one. “This is a desperate act by a desperate man,’’ he said.

When the Brookline Bank was robbed in June, the bandit reportedly demanded money from the bank teller and fled on foot. At his arrest in 2010, Gala had been accused of three robberies in Revere, Saugus, and Malden. No weapon was said to be involved in the robberites, and no one was injured.

Globe correspondent Derek Anderson contributed to this report.

Taunton man accused of stealing copper pipe from home

Published on May 18, 2011 in The Boston Globe, page B4

A Taunton man was arraigned Monday after he and another man allegedly broke into an elderly woman’s home and stole her copper piping, causing her basement to flood, police said.

Roger Longmire, 29, pleaded not guilty in Taunton District Court to charges of breaking and entering daytime for felony, two counts of malicious destruction of property, larceny under $250 by false pretense, and receiving stolen property under $200.

The victim, an unidentified 81-year-old woman on Hopewell Street in Taunton, reported on May 10 that she could not heat her home, and when she went to the basement she discovered it was flooded, a Taunton police report said. She called her son, and they then called police.

An officer discovered the basement door kicked in and about 100 feet of copper piping was missing, along with a metal water overflow tank, the report said. When the piping was removed, the water flooded the basement.

Police said a second man was involved in the break-in, but he has not yet been charged.

The two later sold the stolen parts to Enos Metals in Taunton, the report said.

Both men denied the theft of the pipes and tank, saying they were on the lookout when the other broke into the home.

Longmire was ordered held on $7,500 cash bail and is scheduled to return to Taunton District Court on June 13 for a pretrial, a spokesman for the Bristol district attorney’s office said.

Man attempts to steal bomb mitigation barrel from T station

Published May 10, 2011 in The Boston Globe MetroDesk Blog

A man attempted to steal a 440-pound bomb mitigation barrel from the Shawmut MBTA station on Monday but was arrested soon afterwards, officials said.

A caller reported around 2 p.m. that a man, later identified as Patrick Beech, 23, of Roxbury, had taken the barrel from the station and was pushing it on a dolly covered by a blue blanket.

The silver-colored barrel, which is used for trash disposal, limits the impact of explosive devices, said MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo.

MBTA Transit Police officers found Beech at the corner of Pleasant and Hancock Streets in Dorchester. According to a police report, he told officers that he had found the barrel on the side of the road.

He told the officers he had seen the barrels on television and heard they didn’t work, so he decided to take it. He was planning to take the device to a warehouse.

He was arrested on a charge of larceny over $250. Beech was released last night without bail, and did not attend his arraignment hearing today, a spokesman for Suffolk district attorney’s office said. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Man arraigned in high-speed highway chase

Published on May 9, 2011 in The Boston Globe MetroDesk Blog

A Buzzards Bay man was arraigned today on nine charges after he allegedly led police on a high-speed highway chase from Boston to West Bridgewater on Friday afternoon.

Boston police attempted to pull over the car driven by William Monopoli, 27, around 1:50 p.m. Friday in Boston but Monopoli allegedly fled onto Interstate 93 southbound, Suffolk district attorney’s spokesman Jake Wark said in a statement.

An off-duty state trooper saw Monopoli’s 1998 Ford Ranger and attempted to pull him over on I-93, but Monopoli allegedly increased his speed to avoid the trooper and continued onto Interstate 24 southbound. He then continued to Route 106 in West Bridgewater where he lost control and crashed, Wark said.

After crashing, Monopoli allegedly jumped from his vehicle and climbed a fence into a parking lot. But he was captured by police around 2:20 p.m.

During the pursuit, Monopoli allegedly struck a pickup truck near Milton Square on I-93, nearly struck a trooper outside of his vehicle on Route 24, and tried to ram another trooper’s car on Route 24.

He was arraigned in Dorchester District Court this morning on charges of operating with a suspended license, marked lanes violation, speeding, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, failure to stop for police, resisting arrest, possession of a Class A substance, and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon.

A dozen pills were allegedly found in Monopoli’s vehicle, as well as a number of broken pills, Wark said. The substance is currently being tested.

Additionally, Monopoli was wanted on a warrant issued by Suffolk Superior Court for failure to report to probation.

Monopoli is schedule to return to court June 7.

Former Roxbury pharmacist convicted of defrauding Medicaid

Published on April 27, 2011 in The Boston Globe MetroDesk Blog

A former Roxbury pharmacist has been convicted of falsely collecting Medicaid reimbursements totaling more than $555,000.

Aloysius Chukwukere Nsonwu, 63, pleaded guilty last week in Suffolk Superior Court to 25 counts of Medicaid false claims, 25 counts of larceny by false pretenses, and conspiracy. He collected the money from December 2004 to January 2009, Attorney General Martha Coakley’s office said in a statement.

Nsonwu was the owner and sole officer of Egleston Square Pharmacy Inc. He was reimbursed for prescriptions for HIV medication that were never ordered by a doctor and never dispensed.

He pleaded guilty in February to similar charges in a separate federal case. He is to be sentenced June 17 in federal court. Once he is sentenced in federal court, he will return to Suffolk Superior Court for sentencing on the state charges, the attorney general’s office said in a statement.

Transit Police arrest two wanted men

Published on April 23, 2011 in The Boston Globe, page B2

Transit Police made two significant arrests yesterday, when the accused instigator of an April 11 attack on a bus driver surrendered and a man on the state Probation Service’s most wanted list was captured.

Brian Donovan of Dedham, 18, turned himself in yesterday morning at MBTA police headquarters in Boston to face charges that he attacked a driver who asked him to stop smoking.

After being interviewed, he was arrested on charges of assault and battery on a public employee and wrongful interference with a bus driver, Deputy Chief Joseph O’Connor said.

Police suspect that the incident was triggered by Donovan’s smoking.

“He certainly was involved from the very beginning,” said O’Connor.

Once the driver asked Donovan to put out the cigarette, he and three or four others assaulted the driver, officials said. The driver lost control and crashed into a building on Dudley Street near Vine Street in Roxbury.

The wrongful interference charge is classified as a felony. The maximum penalty for a conviction is up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

O’Connor said the investigation is ongoing, and he hopes others involved come forward with more information.

Donovan is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Roxbury District Court. Two others have already been charged in the assault.

Also yesterday, a Transit Police officer arrested a Dorchester man outside Andrew Station in South Boston after he appeared this week on the list of most wanted probation violators. Samuel Nelson of Dorchester, 23, was arrested shortly before 11 a.m. on a warrant for armed masked robbery, home invasion, and several other counts.

Third person faces charges in attack on T driver

Published April 22, 2011 in The Boston Globe MetroDesk Blog

A Dedham man turned himself in to authorities today to face charges that he attacked an MBTA bus driver who had asked him to stop smoking, in a bizarre incident that ended with the bus crashing into a building and pinning the foot of another suspect.

Brian Donovan, 18, is the third person to face charges in the April 11 incident.

Donovan turned himself in to MBTA Transit Police headquarters. After being interviewed, he was arrested for assault and battery on a a public employee and wrongful interference with a bus driver, Deputy Chief Joseph O’Connor said.

Police believe that it was Donovan’s smoking that triggered the incident. “He certainly was involved from the very beginning,” O’Connor said.

The wrongful interference charge is classified as a felony. The maximum penalty for a conviction is up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.

O’Connor said the investigation continues, and he hopes others involved will come forward with more information.

Police charge Marathon interloper with knocking runner down

Published April 20, 2011 in The Boston Globe MetroDesk Blog

A man is facing a disorderly conduct charge after he allegedly jumped over steel barriers, ran into a crowd of runners on the Boston Marathon course, and “violently knocked down” a woman runner, Boston police said.

The incident happened during the marathon at about 2:20 p.m. Monday on Chestnut Hill Avenue near Englewood Avenue.

The man was attempting to meet up with a friend who was running the race, police said in a statement.

Police have summonsed the man to court, where he will also face a charge of disturbing a public assembly, police said.

Meanwhile, police are trying to locate the victim, who was described as white, dark-haired, and between 35 and 40 years old.

Other runners helped the woman up and she continued the marathon, but officers were neither able to assist her nor see her bib number because of the volume of runners.

“As a rule of thumb, it’s very difficult to prosecute an assault case without the assault victim,” said Suffolk District Attorney Office spokesman Jake Wark.

Police are asking the victim or any witnesses of the incident to contact C-11 detectives at 617-343-4335.

Globe correspondent Matt Rocheleau contributed to this report.

Former Revere library director pleads not guilty to scam

Published on April 6, 2011 in The Boston Globe MetroDesk blog

The former director of the Revere Public Library was arraigned today in Suffolk Superior Court on 21 charges of larceny, fraud and embezzlement for spending city funds on personal items, officials said.

Robert E. Rice Jr., 45 of Rowley, pleaded not guilty to three counts of larceny over $350, three counts of embezzlement by a city officer, and 15 counts of procurement fraud, Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley’s office said in a statement.

The charges come after a two-year investigation into the library’s finances. Rice resigned from the position, which he held for 12 years, after the probe began.

Rice was released on personal recognizance, but he was ordered to surrender his passport and to notify prosecutors if he leaves New England for other parts of the United States.

When searching his home and later his parents’ home, Revere Police found computer software, furniture, diving gear, statues, and other items that Rice had billed to the library, officials said.

In other cases, Rice sold items bought by the city on eBay, Assistant District Attorney Benjamin Goldberger said in the statement.

Rice will return to court June 8.

53 face charges after Plainville party

Published on April 4, 2011 in The Boston Globe MetroDesk Blog

Fifty-three Plainville partygoers are facing charges after a party was broken up Friday night.

Seven legal-aged partiers are facing charges of furnishing alcohol to minors and 46 underage attendees are facing charges of being minors in possession of alcohol. The youngest attendee was 15 years old, according to a police report on the case.

Around 11:30 p.m. Friday, Plainville police received a call from a resident about a parking complaint, and soon after a report of a party in the same area. Police found several vehicles parked on Melcher and Grove streets, and two cars blocked a fire hydrant.

Once officers entered the Melcher Street residence, they found several beer bottles, hard liquor bottles, unopened beer in the refrigerator, marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Plainville police then called Foxborough and North Attleborough police for help transporting the subjects for booking and processing.

Fifty-two of the people are to be arraigned in Attleboro District Court early this week. A warrant for the 53d person facing charges, Edward Piotrowski, 21, is outstanding after he ran away while waiting to be transported for booking.