Taunton man sentenced to prison in Fall River court due to shooting over feud

A 28-year-old Taunton man who fired several shots from an illegally owned handgun at the vehicle of a rival about two years ago was sentenced to serve five years in state prison last week in Fall River Superior Court, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

According to Gregg Miliote of the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office, Patrick Rivera pleaded guilty to indictments charging him with three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of carrying an illegal firearm.

On May 24, 2019, at approximately 9:55 PM the defendant was observed by the male victim to be following his vehicle. The victim told police that he had an ongoing feud with the defendant over the mother of the victim’s child. The victim believed the defendant to carry a gun.

After being followed for a while, the victim pulled into the GATRA bus station parking lot and when the defendant followed him into the parking lot, the victim then backed into the defendant’s vehicle because he knew that he had a gun. After backing into the defendant’s vehicle, the defendant fired several shots at the victim’s vehicle. The defendant then fled on foot.

The defendant was located by police a short time later on Maple Street. Police located a key fob belonging to the damaged vehicle that he had left at the bus station parking lot. The police also located shell casings at the scene of the crime.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Matthew Lopes and the state prison sentence was imposed by Judge Karen Green. The defendant will also be placed on probation for an additional two years after he is released from prison.