Fall River and Cape Cod men sentenced to prison after violent assault that led to life-threatening injuries

Two Fall River and Cape Cod men were found guilty after a two plus week jury trial and sentenced to prison on multiple charges concerning the violent assault of two people outside of their residence.

30-year-old Shondell Rateree of Hyannis was found guilty of Assault with intent to Maim Mayem, Aggravated Assault & Battery, Assault & Battery with a Dangerous Weapon, Assault & Battery x2, and Intimidation of a Witness. Following the verdict, the Commonwealth requested a sentence of 9 to 12 years in state prison and 3 years of probation with conditions. Judge Gildea sentenced Rateree to 8 to 9.5 years in state prison with probation to run during the committed portion of the sentence and then also for 3 years after the defendant has served his sentence in state prison.

23-year-old Kelvin Rios-Figueroa of Fall River was found guilty of Assault & Battery Dangerous Weapon and Assault & Battery. Judge Gildea sentenced Rios Figueroa to 2.5 years committed in the Barnstable County Correctional Facility, followed by three years of probation.

On September 8, 2019, in the early morning hours, Rateree and Rios Figueroa attacked the male and female victims on the street of the victims’ residence. The attack involved the defendants kicking and punching the victims, and quickly escalated to Rataree stabbing one of the victims multiple times, causing life-threatening injuries requiring emergency surgery at Cape Cod Hospital. Barnstable Police were immediately called to the scene. Both victims were transported to Cape Cod Hospital.

Barnstable Police began their investigation and quickly learned from the Yarmouth Police Department Dispatch, who had viewed the live stream at Bay View Beach, that Rateree had driven to Bayview Beach and thrown the knife he used in the stabbing, into the ocean. Barnstable Police were able to retrieve the knife the following morning at low tide.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Nicole Manoog and investigated by the Barnstable Police and State Police detectives assigned to the District Attorney’s Office.