Westport in Brief!
EverythingWestport.com
Friday, March 31, 2017
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Tenant farmers, landlord accused of
multiple animal cruelty charges. Authorities found more than 1,400 animals
in varying levels of distress; 27 defendants indicted on 151 counts. EverythingWestport.com Friday, March 31, 2017 Photos | EverythingWestport.com 4:00 p.m. WESTPORT
– The state Attorney General’s office handed down today indictments against
27 individuals for 151 counts of animal cruelty charges. The
owner of a Route 177 Westport farm and 26 tenants that rent out space on the
property have been indicted on multiple charges of animal cruelty, making it
the largest investigation of its kind in New England, Attorney General Maura
Healey announced today. Westport
Police Detective Jeff Majewski held a press conference this afternoon to
announce the surprising results of an investigation and lengthy grand jury deliberation
concluding in the state indicting 27 tenant farmers including the landowner. Click here to watch video of Westport Detective
Jeff Majewski announcing the handing down of indictments in the Route 177
tenant farm animal cruelty case.
Above: WPRI 12 Eyewitness
News reporter,
Kim Kalunian interviews Westport Police Detective Jeff Majewski on today’s indictments of 27 individuals involved
in the massive, Route 177 tenant farm animal abuse and neglect case. Video/Photo | EverythingWestport.com “There have been a team of people, me and others, on this case for
months, literally four to six people almost every day working for months to
prepare this thing for where we’ve got to now.” Westport Police Detective
Jeff Majewski A Westport farm owner and 26 tenants were indicted
in New England’s largest animal cruelty case. Authorities found more than
1,400 animals in varying levels of distress. BOSTON — The owner of a Westport Farm and 26 tenants that rent out
space on the property have been indicted on multiple charges of animal
cruelty, making it the largest investigation of its kind in New England,
Attorney General Maura Healey announced today. The 151-count animal cruelty indictment returned by a Statewide Grand
Jury on Thursday is the result of an investigation by Westport Police,
Massachusetts Environmental Police assigned to the AG’s Office, the
Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR),
the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals (ASPCA) and the Animal Rescue League of
Boston. The investigation began in July 2016 when Westport Police were called
about allegations of animal cruelty at a 70-acre farm in Westport owned by
Richard Medeiros and rented out to multiple tenants. “Hundreds of animals on this farm were kept in deplorable and dangerous
conditions, with inadequate food, water, or shelter, many of them suffering
from severe health ailments that required them to be euthanized,” said AG
Healey. “As a result of our investigation, the owner of this farm and its
tenants will be held responsible for the inhumane treatment of these
animals.” “The ASPCA is pleased to see these
indictments handed down after providing months of care to get these animals
on the road to recovery,” said Tim Rickey, vice president of the ASPCA Field Investigations and Response Team. “The
conditions in Westport were among the worst we have ever encountered and we
commend Attorney General Healey for pursuing justice for these animals and
hope the
community will continue to make the welfare of animals a priority.” “The alleged treatment and living
conditions of these animals is unacceptable and inhumane, and the Department of
Agricultural Resources greatly appreciates the unified team effort made by
all the investigating agencies and organizations to ensure justice in this
matter.” Massachusetts Department of
Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Commissioner John Lebeaux. “This situation is unparalleled to anything I’ve seen in my 37 years as
an animal law enforcement officer. The sheer number of animals in dire need
of care, and the cruel and unsanitary conditions we found were deplorable. It
took an all-out effort of state and local officials along with multiple
humane organizations to get all of those animals out of that horrible
situation,” said Lt. Alan Borgal, Animal Rescue League of Boston. “The alleged treatment and living conditions of these animals is
unacceptable and inhumane, and the Department of Agricultural Resources
greatly appreciates the unified team effort made by all the investigating
agencies and organizations to ensure justice in this matter,” said
Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR)
Commissioner John Lebeaux. “Through inspections, licensing,
awareness and education, the Department of Agricultural Resources remains
committed to protecting the health and safety of domestic animals across the
Commonwealth.” In July 2016, Westport Police received a 911 call directing them to
Medeiros’ property at 465 American Legion Highway. Police discovered that two
starved Rottweilers from one of the lots had escaped and broken into another
lot where they had attacked and consumed a number of goats. Pictured
below.
Police
Photo Authorities allege that approximately 1,400 animals were found in
overcrowded, overheated and dangerous living conditions at the farm. In some
cases, they were living in such deep manure waste that their hooves had
rotted off and they were suffering from painful eye, intestinal and skin
ailments. Among those animals were a variety of species found on separate lots,
including dogs, cats, cows, horses, pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, and
rabbits. It is alleged that animals did not have proper water sources or
adequate food, were improperly sheltered, and housed among dangerous debris
and other dead animals. Authorities also allege that many animals were
suffering from a number of contagious diseases. The following individuals were indicted Thursday by a Statewide Grand
Jury on the animal cruelty charges: Richard Medeiros, 83, of
Westport (21 counts) duardo Caetano, 51 of Fall River (4 counts), Messias P. Farias, 74 of Fall River (1
count), Luis Machado, 56 of New
Bedford (8 counts), Eddy DeAguiar,
37 of Fall River (10 counts), Joao Aguiar,
73 of Fall River (10 counts), Octavio Botelho, 51 of Fall River (6 counts), Luis Pacheco, 57 of Fall
River (3 counts), Emmanuel DeSousa, 47 of Fall River (4 counts), Diana Magalhaes,
46 of Fall River, (4 counts), Bruno Magalhaes,
32 of Fall River (4 counts), Jose Botelho,
64 of Fall River (11 counts), Joseph Rego,
40 of Fall River (4 counts), Jeffrey Brilhante, 36 of Fall River (9 counts), Jose Aguiar,
66 of Fall River (9 counts), Antonio Dias, 64 of Fall
River (5 counts), Eduardo Vultao, 51 of Dighton (4 counts), John Melo,
45 of Fall River (5 counts), Arthur Arruda,
53 of New Bedford (5 counts), Rhonda Gadomski,
50 of Fall River (3 counts), Kenneth Bellevance Jr., 44 of Westport (3 counts), Scottie Medeiros, 31 of
Fall River (1 count), Timothy Cabral, 32 of Fall
River (4 counts), Jose Reis, 58 of Fall
River (3 counts), Antonio Medeiros, 42 of
Tiverton (1 count), Donald Rapoza,
61 of New Bedford (8 counts), and Emanuel Gaspar, 55 of Fall
River (1 count). The defendants are expected to be arraigned in Bristol Superior Court
at a future date. These charges are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent
until proven guilty. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Tasnin Chowdhury, Chief of AG Healey’s Environmental
Crimes Strike Force, Assistant Attorney General Patrick Hanley, Assistant
Attorney General Kristyn Dusel, and Assistant
Attorney General Jessica Frattaroli, with
assistance from Victim Witness Advocate Amber Anderson, Financial
Investigator Kathrine Metoyer, and Administrative Assistant Andrea Leone. This case was investigated by Detective Jeff Majewski and the Westport
Police Department, with assistance from Detectives from the Massachusetts
Environmental Police, the AG’s Digital Evidence Lab, the Massachusetts
Department of Agricultural Resources, the American
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and the Animal Rescue
League of Boston. EverythingWestport.com Sunday, April 2, 2017 BOSTON – Representative Paul A. Schmid (D-Westport) joined his
colleagues in the House of Representatives to pass legislation that
authorizes $200 million for Chapter 90 funding to help municipalities
complete road, bridge and infrastructure improvement projects. The bill also appropriates $70 million to replace the Registry of Motor
Vehicle’s information technology infrastructure. The Town of Westport will receive $672,651.35 in Chapter 90 funding in
order to provide improved road and infrastructure conditions. “This Chapter 90 funding is fundamental as we begin to prepare road
improvements from damaging winter weather and begin the construction season
in town,” said Representative Schmid.
“I am grateful my colleagues in the House of Representatives
prioritized this timely vote in order to maintain productivity in our local
communities.” This legislation complements a 2016 transportation law focused on highways,
small bridges and a municipal grant program. That bill authorized $750
million for both federal-aid interstate and non-interstate highway projects,
and $50 million for a new program to repair small bridges. Last year’s Chapter 90 allocation from the state was $ 677,225.00.
Above: Road
crews paving Fallon Drive last summer, 2016. © 2017 Community Events of
Westport. All rights reserved. EverythingWestport.com |
