SPRINGFIELD — A Boston police captain’s son has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for plotting an Islamic-State group inspired attack on a university.
Alexander Ciccolo was sentenced Wednesday in Springfield’s federal court.
Ciccolo pleaded guilty to terrorism charges in May, a month before he was scheduled to go to trial.
Ciccolo’s lawyers identified the school in court documents as New Mexico State University.
Harold Shaw, special agent in charge of the FBI Boston office, called Ciccolo a “committed soldier” of the Islamic State group who wanted to kill innocent Americans.
Ciccolo’s lawyers say the man had a troubled childhood and dealt with mental health and substance abuse issues.
Boston police Capt. Robert Ciccolo tipped off the FBI after becoming concerned about his son’s violent rhetoric.
WEST BROOKFIELD — Massachusetts authorities say a 32-year-old man has been charged with killing a woman and her three young children.
Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. says Matthew Locke will be arraigned on murder charges Wednesday in the deaths of Sarah Bermudez and her children. Their bodies were found in their West Brookfield home in March.
Locke is a cousin of Bermudez’s husband, Moses Bermudez. Locke has been in custody since March, when he was charged with misleading investigators.
Prosecutors say Locke told investigators Bermudez’s husband implied the gang MS-13 was responsible, however police say the two men didn’t see each other after the killings.
Locke’s attorney was killed last month when a crowbar crashed through his car windshield. It wasn’t immediately clear if he has a new lawyer.
ATTLEBORO — A federal court has dismissed the appeal of a former Massachusetts police officer who admitted he tried to get child pornography.
The court ruled that former Attleboro Sgt. Richard Woodhead did not file a timely appeal and had been denied a request for more time. The Sun Chronicle reports Woodhead is currently in an Ohio federal prison serving a five-year sentence for attempting to receive child pornography.
Woodhead pleaded guilty to communicating with a federal agent posing as an 8-year-old girl’s stepfather in attempt to get nude photos of the girl. He had attempted to argue his lawyers failed to inform him he could appeal.
The court handed down the decision last Wednesday and dismissed the appeal at the request of prosecutors.
NEW BEDFORD — A woman whose toddler swallowed a bag of fentanyl-laced heroin has been held without bail pending a hearing to determine whether she is dangerous.
Saranah Raposa was arrested around 11 a.m. Tuesday in Attleboro and arraigned later that day in New Bedford on charges including reckless endangerment and assault and battery on a child with a dangerous weapon.
The Standard-Times reports that the 30-year-old New Bedford woman was held pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for Thursday.
Prosecutors say the 21-month-old boy swallowed part of a plastic bag that contained heroin on Aug. 28. He was taken to a hospital and placed on a Narcan drip. He has since been stabilized and is in state custody.
Raposa’s public defender said that her client has started treatment for addiction.
WORCESTER — A woman has been charged with sexually assaulting a pre-teen boy.
The Telegram & Gazette reports that 49-year-old Laurie Perro, of Worcester, was held on $20,000 bail after pleading not guilty Tuesday to charges including aggravated child rape and several other charges.
Prosecutors say the alleged assaults occurred between September 2016 and June 2017 when the boy was 10 or 11 years old.
Authorities say Perro participated with her husband in the sexual assaults. A warrant has been issued for his arrest on related charges.
Perro is also facing kidnapping charges in connection with two other juveniles.
Her lawyer asked for lower bail saying his client is not a flight risk and she denies the allegations.
From Associated Press