Two Fall River men sentenced to prison for shooting into window of Taunton apartment with several children inside

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn, III has announced that two Fall River men pled guilty in the Fall River Superior Court, to 5 counts of Attempted Assault and Battery by Discharge of a Firearm and Unlawful Carrying of a Firearm.  

35-year-old Filizberto Mendes pled guilty on Monday and received a State Prison sentence of 3 to 4 years.  The Commonwealth had requested a sentence of 4 to 6 years. 

31-year-old Erron Perez previously pled guilty and received a sentence of 2.5 years to the House of Correction with 18 months to serve, the balance suspended for 2 years.  The Commonwealth had requested a State Prison sentence of 2.5 to 4 years. 

The cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jason Mohan and both defendants were sentenced by the Honorable Raffi Yessayan. 

On February 10, 2023, a Massachusetts State Trooper was conducting an unrelated motor vehicle stop at the intersection of Bay Street and Whittenton Street in Taunton when he observed a grey Subaru Legacy drive past his location.  The Trooper ran the plate of the Subaru and observed both defendants in the motor vehicle.  Two minutes later, the Trooper heard what he thought was a gunshot and then heard seven additional gunshots several minutes later a short distance from his location.  As the Trooper drove towards the location of the gunshots, he observed the same Subaru Legacy drive through a stop sign at Cottage Street and Whittenton Street. 

When the Subaru was stopped, the defendants were still inside, Erron Perez was the operator and Filizberto Mendes was the front seat passenger.  The Subaru was the only vehicle seen in the area immediately after the shooting. 

Taunton Officers arrived to assist, and police located a 9 mm Rugar Semi-Automatic firearm under the front passenger seat.  The firearm contained no bullets in the magazine or chamber.  Neither defendant had a license to possess or carry the firearm.  

Both defendants were placed under arrest. During the police encounter with the Subaru, other officers were dispatched to 1 Meadow Place, a short distance from the stop of the Subaru and the direction where the Trooper heard gunshots coming from.  Two residents of that apartment indicated to police that as they were sleeping with several young children in the apartment, a number of gunshots were fired through their window. 

Police discovered ballistic damage inside of the apartment along with several spent 9 mm shell casings. 

An older son in the apartment had received a threatening call earlier in the day that he thought was related to his involvement with a female from the City of Fall River.

A gun shot residue test of both defendant’s hands were negative.  However, a gun shot residue test on the sweatshirt of Filizberto Mendes was positive.  The spent shell casings from the apartment were sent to the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab for testing and after analysis, were determined to have come from the firearm located under the front passenger seat of the Subaru Legacy where Filizberto Mendes was sitting. 

According to the DA, both defendants had drug conspiracy charges pending at the time of this shooting, for which they received a probation sentence. 

“This is dangerous and outrageous behavior.  State Prison sentences were warranted,” District Attorney Tom Quinn said.