Contact: Beth Stone 508-584-8120
BROCKTON – A Brockton man who attempted to be released on a COVID-19 motion has pleaded guilty to narcotics, firearm and assault charges, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced.
Ruben Depina, 20, of Brockton, pleaded guilty late Monday in Brockton Superior Court to charges that he trafficked amounts of Fentanyl and Cocaine, possessed firearms and ammunition and committed assault. Judge C.J. Moriarty sentenced Depina to serve not less than four year not more than four years and a day in State Prison. Following his release, Depina is to be supervised by probation for two years following.
The charges that Depina pled guilty to stem from two separate incidents. On June 10, 2019, at approximately 1:15 p.m. in Brockton, there was a report of gunshots in the area of Echo Street in Brockton. The caller reported that a white truck with a New York license plate was pursuing a black truck. Brockton Police responded and located 10, 9mm shell casings and one bullet. Police also found bullet holes in two buildings in the area.
Just after 6 p.m. the same day, Brockton Police received another call for gunshots and cars chasing one another in the area of Laureston, Sheppard, Main and Grove Streets. There was a Shotspotter activation at 706 Montello Street for four gunshots. Approximately 15 minutes later, Brockton Police observed a black truck in the area of 177 Laureston Street. Through investigation, interviews and video surveillance captured at the scene, Brockton Police determined that Depina was the operator of the black truck involved in the shooting and he was placed under arrest on June 17, 2019. Depina was arraigned in Brockton Superior Court and released on $75,000 bail with the condition he be monitored by GPS.
On August 22, 2019, Brockton Police were conducting routine patrols in the area of Hillberg Avenue when they made observations consistent with a narcotics transaction. Detectives approached Depina on foot and identified themselves as officers. Depina abruptly changed his walking direction and threw a black item aside. Brockton Police alerted gang detectives who restrained Depina while other officers confirmed the black item that Depina threw was a firearm loaded with six rounds of ammunition in the magazine. Depina was placed under arrest. Depina’s family members contacted police to report that they believed there to be illegal items in the apartment where Depina resided and gave police access to the apartment. In Depina’s bedroom, police located a throw pillow containing a plastic bag with a glove and Inositol and 28 bags of fentanyl totaling 42 grams, one bag of crack cocaine weighing 28 grams and one bag of 29 Alprzolam. Brockton Police additionally searched a vehicle at the residence and in the trunk located small plastic bags of fentanyl totaling 104 grams, a backpack secreted within the wall of the vehicle containing small bags of fentanyl totaling 2.5 grams, and in the rear passenger floorboard there was a container with nine large bags each containing fentanyl. Depina was arraigned in Brockton Superior Court and release on an additional $75,000 bail.
In May, Depina who was being held on $75,000 on each case, for a total of $150,000, filed a COVID-19 Motion for release. At a hearing, the Commonwealth opposed Depina’s release and Brockton Superior Court Judge Elaine Buckley denied the motion.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Diana Fantasia and was investigated by Brockton Police.