32-year-old Bristol County man with several restraining orders sentenced in Fall River for terrorizing live-in girlfriend

A 32-year-old Bristol County domestic abuser who viciously beat and terrorized his live-in girlfriend was sentenced to prison on Monday in Fall River Superior Court, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

Raymond Cruz of Taunton pleaded guilty on the eve of his scheduled trial to indictments charging him with Strangulation, Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon and Domestic Assault and Battery. Cruz was sentenced to serve four to five years in state prison.

In December of 2021, Cruz was arrested after the female victim provided police with home surveillance camera footage showing him dragging her down a stairway, beating her with a belt, strangling her on the kitchen floor and locking her out of the home.

Cruz has had four restraining orders filed against him from three separate women and has served jail time in the past fort domestic violence.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Courtney Cahill and the state prison sentence was imposed by Judge Renee Dupuis. In addition to the prison term, Judge Dupuis also sentenced Cruz to an additional three years of supervised probation.

“Home surveillance video captures the defendant brutally assaulting the victim. This defendant has a history of domestic violence, including the issuance of multiple restraining orders by different women. He clearly presents a danger to the victim and the public and needs to be kept off the street to protect her,” District Attorney Quinn said.