Worcester, MA (January 27, 2012) - Recently, Judge Janet Kenton-Walker released 20 year old Worcester resident Hector Pineiro on $55,000 cash bail. Mr. Pineiro was awaiting trial on charges stemming from a shooting last year in Fitchburg along with unrelated gun and drug charges which occurred in Worcester.

In the Fitchburg incident, Mr. Pineiro was indicted on June 21, 2011 on charges of Armed Assault with Intent to Murder, Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon (firearm), Carrying a Firearm without a License, Carrying a Loaded Firearm without a License, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition and Conspiring to Violate the Drug laws.

In the Worcester incident, Mr. Pineiro had previously been ordered held without bail on unrelated gun and drug charges after his 2004 Mitsubishi SUV was stopped by Worcester Police on March 16, 2011. During that incident police found 29 grams of marijuana and a loaded .38 caliber revolver inside his vehicle. Pineiro’s vehicle was stopped as a result of an ongoing investigation involving a shooting incident on Hermon Street days earlier. Pineiro’s vehicle matched the description of the vehicle involved in the shooting incident on March 11, 2011.

To date, this case remains open and no charges have been filed. If anyone has information about this incident they can send an anonymous text to 274637 TIPWPD + your message or send an anonymous web based message at worcesterma.gov/police. Calls can also be made to the Worcester Police Detective Bureau at (508) 799-8651.

Mr. Pineiro was charged for the March 16th incident with Carrying a Firearm without a License, Carrying a Loaded Firearm without a License, Possession of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute and a Drug Violation near a School or Park. A judge originally held Pineiro without bail on those charges after a dangerousness hearing was held on March 30, 2011.

In another recent case, Judge Kenton-Walker lowered the bail from $25,000 to $5,000 on another violent criminal offender named Lloyd Dey, 18 year old Worcester resident. Mr. Dey had been arrested on December 29, 2011 on charges of Carrying a Firearm without a License, Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition without an FID Card, Carrying a Loaded Firearm without a License, and Possession of Class D with the intent to Distribute. Mr. Dey has numerous other arrests involving drug and violent offenses.

Investigators working these cases are very concerned that violent offenders are being granted low bail by Judge Kenton-Walker and released back into the community where they remain a threat to public safety. At this time, the Worcester Police feels obligated to inform the public when violent offenders are released back on the streets and pose a threat to the quality of life in our community.

There will be no new additional information released at this time.