Suspect sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to Fall River bank robbery

A man accused of robbing a Fall River bank late last year has been sentenced after pleading guilty.

According to court records, 59-year-old John J. Barboza, of West Warwick, RI, admitted to the charge of Armed Robbery While Masked in an incident on December 3rd, 2022, and was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison with a credit of 282 days served.

According to Fall River Lieutenant Antonio Elumba, just before 10:00 a.m., Fall River Police Officers were dispatched to Rockland Trust Bank 855 Brayton Avenue due to a report of an armed robbery.

Upon arrival, Officer Jeffrey Gosselin learned from bank personnel that a man wearing a surgical mask had entered the bank, passed a note demanding money, and indicating that he possessed a gun.

The man fled the bank after receiving a quantity of cash.

Officer Gosselin, through witness interviews and review of surveillance footage, was able to relay information to other police units that had responded to assist. Officers coordinated their efforts by canvassing the surrounding neighborhood and businesses. This resulted in a perimeter being established around a nearby wooded area, and the deployment of a police K9 team.

The K9 team was able to locate Barboza in a muddy, thickly overgrown area. He was then taken into custody.

Fall River Police Department Uniform Division, Special Operations Division, and Crime Scene Unit participated in the investigation.