Fall River career criminal sentenced on drug and gun charges

A 29-year-old Fall River career criminal arrested in possession of a loaded illegal firearm and crack cocaine was sentenced to serve five years in state prison, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

According to Gregg Miliote of the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office, Michael O’Shea pleaded guilty in Fall River Superior Court this week to a multi-count indictment, charging him with carrying an illegal firearm-subsequent offense, carrying a loaded illegal firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and possession of cocaine.

On October 23, 2014, Fall River Police executed a search warrant at 105 Pine Street. The target of the warrant was the defendant’s mother, Doreen O’Shea, who is now deceased. During the execution of the warrant, the defendant appeared at the door and his mother asked the officers to let him inside. As the defendant stepped into the apartment, a detective saw the outline of a revolver in his sweatpants, and called out “gun.” A second detective took the gun out of the defendant’s pocket and found it was a .38 caliber revolver loaded with five rounds of ammunition. The defendant told police that he did not have a license to carry, and that the crack cocaine and .38 caliber ammunition belonged to him.

At the time of this offense, the defendant was on probation for assault with a dangerous weapon after serving a five to eight year prison sentence on an armed robbery (handgun) prosecuted by District Attorney Quinn. The defendant also had a prior conviction out of Brockton District Court for carrying an illegal firearm.

During a sentencing hearing before Judge Raffi Yessayan, Assistant District Attorney Michael Cahillane argued that based on the defendant’s extensive criminal history and his continued use of illegal firearms, the defendant should be sentenced to serve eight to 12 years in state prison. However, Judge Yessayan, agreed with the defendant’s proposal of a five to five years and a day prison sentence, but gave him no jail credit for time already served. Judge Yessayan also placed the defendant on supervised probation for an additional two years.

“This is a dangerous defendant who has no business possessing a firearm,” District Attorney Quinn said. “I prosecuted him myself more than a decade ago for a violent robbery. I am pleased the defendant will be off the streets for what amounts to more than eight years.”