Gloucester Massachusetts Man Charged With Armed Robbery Of Eastern Bank
Joseph Lafata, 28 years old from Gloucester Massachusetts, appeared in the Salem District Court and plead not guilty to the charge of armed robbery of an Eastern Bank branch in Salem Massachusetts. According to The Salem News, Lafata was identified as the perpetrator of the robbery after three separate jurisdictions recognized him following a description or through a booking photograph from previous arrests after he became a suspect.
It is alleged that Lafata walked into the bank late in the afternoon covering his head and demanding money. The Salem News reports that the culprit threatened to shoot the teller during the hold up. Although Lafata was identified by law enforcement officers that apparently recognized him from earlier dealings, the tellers that witnessed the robbery failed to identify Lafata during a photo array. Because Lafata is charged with armed robbery which is a felony and carries a potential penalty of up to life in prison, he will likely be indicted and the case will be litigated in the Salem Superior Court.
Based on the facts of this case it appears that a reasonable defense is that the defendant has been misidentified as the perpetrator. Although all of the details are not available at this time, it would be critical to determine how the law enforcement personnel determined that Lafata was the perpetrator. Areas that must be explored include determining whether any of the witnesses that identified Lafata have any bias against him. A thorough pre-trial investigation is essential to defend this type of case.
Other types of property crimes that defendants face in district court include larceny of property valued at over $250.00 or under $250.00. The difference between the two crimes, other than the amount taken, is that larceny under is a misdemeanor and larceny over is a felony. A felony is any crime where the potential sentence includes a commitment to state prison. A misdemeanor is any crime where the potential sentence includes a commitment to the house of correction.
Attorney Kathleen McCarthy has worked in criminal law for over twenty years. If you have been charged with a crime or believe that you are going to be charged with a crime call Attorney McCarthy at 978-975-8060 or contact her online and she will get to work on your case immediately.
