Crime

Haverhill Man in Critical Condition with Stab Wounds, Alleged Assailant in Court

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A Haverhill man, Anthony Gonzalez, is in critical condition at Boston Medical Center with multiple stab wounds following an altercation Wednesday night with his former girlfriend’s new boyfriend. His alleged assailant, 28-year-old Jorge Luis Gonzalez, said to be of no relation, of 119 High St., Haverhill, was arraigned in Haverhill District Court Thursday following his arrest on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. While he was being booked at the Haverhill Police Station, a police report says, Jorge Gonzalez allegedly confessed to stabbing Anthony Gonzalez. He is being held in the Essex County House of Correction in Middleton without bail. Cesar A. Archilla entered a plea of not guilty.

Crime

Jury Finds Haverhill Man Guilty of Seeking Sex with 12-Year-Old

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A now-25-year-old Haverhill man was found guilty of attempting to sex traffic a 12-year-old during a sting two years ago. Prosecutors said Monday Sharath Chandra Bollu, was found guilty by a federal jury after a four-day trial. Bollu was convicted of attempted sex trafficking of a minor and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. U.S. Chief District Court Judge Samantha Elliott ordered Bollu held pending sentencing scheduled for Nov. 24.

Crime

AAA Survey Finds 19% of Drivers ‘Frequent Speeders,’ 33% Speed Sometimes

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AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reported this week nearly a fifth of Massachusetts drivers call themselves frequent “speeders,” above the 15% national average. A report found 19% of Massachusetts drivers surveyed gave themselves the designation, while 33% of Massachusetts drivers surveyed said they speed sometimes, compared to 30% nationally. In 2024, there were more than 6,400 crashes in which speed was a contributing factor, according to the Massachusetts IMPACT Crash Data Portal. More than 2,100 of those crashes resulted in an injury, and 66 were fatal. “As speeding becomes more normalized and increases the risk of serious and fatal crashes, it’s important to remember that the safest speed isn’t the one that everyone else is driving, it’s the one that gives you enough time and space to react when something unexpected happens,” said Mark Schieldrop, senior spokesperson for AAA Northeast.

Crime

Feds Allege Lawrence Mayor DePeña Used COVID-19 Aid for Campaign, Taxes, Debt

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Lawrence Mayor Brian A. DePeña was arrested this morning and charged with fraudulently obtaining more than $1.5 million in COVID-19 small-business loans. Prosecutors said the 61-year-old mayor allegedly used the federal pandemic aid to fund his campaign account, pay personal taxes and pay off more than $880,000 in high-interest mortgages on various properties he owned in Lawrence. DePeña was charged with wire fraud and money laundering and is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Boston today. “Mayor DePeña was elected to be a leader for the City of Lawrence. He was looked up to and trusted by his constituents, but he betrayed that trust through his alleged corruption and lies,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley.

Crime

Grand Jury Indicts Four of Six Men in Alleged Haverhill Gang Shootout

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Four of the six men allegedly involved in a daytime gang-related shootout last spring in downtown Haverhill were indicted by an Essex County grand jury over the last several weeks. Victor Ernesto Deaza was arraigned before Judge John C. Fraser in Salem Superior Court Thursday, July 27, and due back in court Thursday, Sept. 3, for a pre-trial conference. Evan M. Carlisle, Riley A. Quinn and Timothy Mossey were arraigned Wednesday, Aug. 5, in Salem Superior Court.

Crime

Judge Orders Haverhill Man to Serve Year in Prison, Repay $350K in Crypto Scheme

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A 29-year-old Haverhill man received a prison sentence Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Boston for fraudulently obtaining $350,000 in investor funds. Luciano Schipelliti was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release with six months of home confinement. He was also ordered to pay $350,000 restitution. As WHAV reported in March, Schipelliti agreed to plead guilty to wire fraud and did so the following month. According to U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley’s office, Schipelliti established, what he called, the Superstars Fund during the fall of 2018 and raised roughly $275,000 to invest in cryptocurrency.

Crime

Man, 32, Faces Murder Charge in Connection with Haverhill Man’s Death Last Week

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A 32-year-old is scheduled to be arraigned Friday afternoon for the alleged murder of a 44-year-old Haverhill man, a week ago in Lawrence. Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker’s office said Thursday Edgar Morales will be arraigned for the fatal shooting of Domingo Rivera of Haverhill early Thursday morning, July 23, on Bay State Road in Lawrence. The district attorney’s office said Massachusetts State Police detectives, obtained an arrest warrant Thursday for Morales. He is expected to be arraigned Friday, at 2 p.m., in Lawrence District Court. The circumstances behind the alleged murder were not immediately released.

Crime

Officials Point to Sunday Lawrence Deaths as Murder and Suicide

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The Essex County district attorney and police said Monday the deaths of two people early Sunday morning in Lawrence appear to be a murder and suicide. District Attorney Paul F. Tucker identified a deceased woman as 41-year-old Yomarys Herrera Marte, who appeared to have been stabbed. and a man, 45-year-old Eddys Caceres Acosta, who jumped out of a third-story window. “A preliminary investigation indicates that Marte was stabbed by Acosta, who then jumped out of a third-story window, with each party dying from their injuries,” a statement read. Lawrence Police were dispatched Sunday morning, around 12:08, to the area of 10 Willow St., Lawrence, after receiving a 911 call.