FREETOWN, MA — A years-long investigation into a series of cemetery vandalism incidents in Freetown has concluded with a guilty plea and jail sentence.
According to Freetown Police Lieutenant Benjamin Levesque, 24-year-old Jacob Dupuis pleaded guilty in Fall River District Court to six criminal charges stemming from incidents that occurred in 2022. Dupuis was sentenced to 18 months in the House of Correction, with 90 days to serve and the remaining balance suspended for two years of probation. As conditions of probation, Dupuis was ordered to participate in mental health counseling and complete 200 hours of community service.
Dupuis pleaded guilty to the following charges:
– Possession or Control of an Incendiary Device or Material
– Vandalizing a Gravestone (two counts)
– Vandalizing Property
– Malicious Destruction of Property Over $1,200
– Tagging Property
The investigation began on March 15th, 2022, when Freetown Police responded to White Cemetery on Keene Road after numerous gravestones were defaced with red spray paint. The vandalism included swastikas, various symbols and messages directed at law enforcement.
Two days later, on March 17th, officers investigated an incident at Profile Rock, where the remnants of suspected Molotov cocktails were discovered near an area that had burned. Similar graffiti found at the location led investigators to suspect a connection to the cemetery vandalism.
On May 6th, 2022, additional vandalism was discovered at White Cemetery, where 34 headstones and memorial markers had been defaced.
On June 3rd, 2022, police responded to the Assonet Burying Ground on South Main Street, where numerous gravestones and a cemetery shed had been vandalized. The graffiti included threatening messages, some directed toward then Police Chief Carlton Abbott, who passed away in January 2026.
Despite extensive investigative efforts, increased patrols and surveillance of the affected cemeteries, no suspect was initially identified.
In November 2023, similar graffiti appeared on a residence in Fall River. The writing referenced former Chief Abbott and included details concerning the Profile Rock incident that had not previously been released to the public, providing investigators with an additional connection to the earlier incidents.
A significant breakthrough came in July 2025, when Sergeant Douglas Mongeon received information identifying Dupuis as a possible suspect. Subsequent investigative efforts by Sergeant Mongeon, Patrolman Kobey Imbert and Detective Shane Kelley developed additional witness statements connecting Dupuis to the incidents. The investigation ultimately resulted in criminal charges and Dupuis’s guilty plea.
The Freetown Police Department acknowledged the efforts of its investigating officers and extends its appreciation to the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office for its work in bringing this case to a conclusion.
The department also extended its sincere appreciation to the affected families, cemetery caretakers and community members for their patience and cooperation throughout the investigation. We recognize the impact these incidents had on those whose loved ones’ final resting places were vandalized and hope this resolution provides some measure of closure.
