Thursday, 4:30 PM
Man sentenced to life for 2002 murder
By Maria Cramer, Globe Staff
A Suffolk Superior Court judge sentenced John Gomes, 30, to life in prison without parole today one day after a jury convicted him for the 2002 murder of a father of two.
As relatives of Gomes and the victim, Ildobrando Correia, wept in the packed courtroom, Judge Charles Spurlock also sentenced him to four to five years in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm. He was also sentenced to nine to 10 years in jail for possession of the 25-round magazine that was in the firearm, a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, he used to kill Correia. The sentences will be served concurrently, before the life sentence for first-degree murder in state will begin.
Prosecutors said Gomes fired 18 rounds at Correia as he sat in his car at 9 p.m. Aug. 13, after dropping off an elderly co-worker on Ridgewood Street in Dorchester.
Correia's widow, Maria DePina, read from a prepared statement before the sentencing. When Correia was killed, DePina was pregnant with their second child, a son, who is now about 5 years old and is named after his father.
"The worst part of all this is that his son, Ildo, will never get to know his own father," she said, crying. "I know justice will be served if that man is put away for the rest of his life, because he didn't have the right to take away Ildo's life."
Gomes, who wore a suit and with his graying hair looked much older than 30, did not speak. His mouth had been wired shut after his jaw was broken less than a month ago during a fight at Suffolk County House of Correction at South Bay, while he was awaiting his trial, said his lawyer, Russell Sobelman.
During the proceeding, Sobelman read a statement on behalf of Gomes, in which he proclaimed his innocence and said he knew Correia, a fellow Cape Verdean whom he often saw driving through the neighborhood to drop off his co-worker.
“He would never do anything to hurt Ildo," Sobleman said after the proceeding. Sobelman said he has already filed an appeal of the conviction.
