Plymouth County man sentenced to prison for role in armed home invasion that left one man dead

BROCKTON – A Brockton man has pleaded guilty to his role in an armed home invasion that left one man dead, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced.

Monday, in Brockton Superior Court, Kenston Scott, now 41 years-old, pleaded guilty to one count each of Manslaughter, Armed Home Invasion, Carrying a Firearm, and Firearm Violation. Judge William Sullivan sentenced Scott to serve 18-20 years in state prison. Scott has been in state prison for the past 5,876 days.

Scott pleaded guilty to his role in a fatal shooting which occurred on November 17, 2006. On that date, Scott, and two other men, Jamie Resende and Vernon Newbury devised a plan to rob victim, Nelson Pina, 34, at his home in Brockton. Scott and Resende force their way into Pina’s home, and Pina was fatally shot in the chest by a .32 caliber firearm. The men then fled the scene.

Had the case gone to trial, the Commonwealth was prepared to prove that ballistics retrieved from the house included spent .32 and .22 shell casings. Scott was also allegedly wounded and bleeding when he fled the scene and admitted that the robbery plan went awry and shots were exchanged. Additionally, investigators located a sweatshirt with Scott’s DNA, as well as his parked car at the crime scene.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Cailin Campbell, and was investigated by Massachusetts State Police and Brockton Police.