Man sentenced after driving around with illegal gun while Intoxicated, crashing in Dartmouth

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn, III has announced that a 22-year-old man was convicted after a jury trial in the New Bedford District Court yesterday of Unlawful Carrying of a Firearm.

Craig Dias, of New Bedford was sentenced to serve 18 months in the House of Correction.  The defendant was also charged with Operating Under the Influence and Negligent Operation of a Motor Vehicle.  Dias pled to those charges just prior to trial and received a Guilty finding with a $500 fine by the Court.

On October 14, 2024, at approximately 11:58 pm, Dartmouth Police responded to a single motor vehicle crash at 1374 Old Fall River Road where a vehicle had crashed into the woods.  Upon arrival police located Dias standing on the side of the road with his vehicle in the woods.  He presented with bloodshot and glassy eyes, slurred speech and an odor of alcohol was detected coming from him. The defendant stated to officers on scene that he had consumed 3 shots of Casamigos tequila earlier in the evening.  Police located 3 Casamigos nips in the driver’s side door of Dias’ vehicle and 2 empty bottles of Casamigos tequila under the driver’s seat.  As officers conducted an inventory search of the vehicle, they located Glock 19 Gen 5 firearm with a magazine containing 13 9mm bullets in a Nike fanny pack on the passenger front seat.  A second magazine was located on the passenger floor that contained 11 9mm bullets along with a firearm holster.  Dias did not possess a License to Carry.  During booking, he consented to a breath test and blew a .20, which is more than double the legal limit. 

“The defendant was highly intoxicated, involved in an accident and in possession of an illegal firearm.  This is a recipe for disaster,” District Attorney Tom Quinn said.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Justin Bennett.