A Brockton man accused of fatally shooting 36-year-old Lonnie Robinson in the city in 2012 was sentenced Thursday, Aug. 7, to life in prison with the possibility of parole after he pleaded guilty to a murder charge days before his jury trial was set to begin, according to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office.
Jerome Almonor, 37, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of second-degree murder, two counts of armed assault with an attempt to rob, one count of unlawful possession of a sawed-off shotgun, one count of unlawful possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of intimidation of a witness.
He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after a minimum of 20 years, the DA’s office said.
Almonor’s jury trial was scheduled to begin on Monday, Aug. 11, four days after he pleaded guilty.
“Our office was prepared for trial, a jury was selected and only today did Almonor take responsibility for his actions,” Plymouth County DA Timothy J. Cruz said in a written statement August 7. “I hope that he can reflect on those actions in prison, and that the family of his helpless victim finds some peace,” he said.
A fatal 2012 shooting: What happened?
Shortly after 5 p.m. on Aug. 10, 2012, Brockton Police responded to a residence at 63 Perkins St. for reports of a man shot in the chest. Police found the victim, later identified as Robinson, unresponsive and slumped in the driver’s seat of a Chevy Impala parked in the driveway.
Robinson was transported to a Brockton area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
A Massachusetts State Police investigation revealed that Robinson and another man were parked in the driveway sitting in the Impala when Almonor, then 24, and co-defendant Dominic Tassy, then 28, pulled up in a BMW and parked behind them, according to the DA’s office.
Almonor and Tassy exited the BMW and entered the residence.
A short time later, the two defendants left the residence and approached the Impala. A verbal altercation ensued before Almonor pulled a shotgun from his pants and shot Robinson, who was still seated in the car, according to the DA’s office.
During Almonor’s arraignment in Brockton District Court, prosecutor David Belger alleged the murder happened because of a turf dispute over drug sales.
According to Belger, Almonor also tried to rob Robinson before the shooting by saying “Turn over your pockets.”
Tassy then allegedly encouraged Almonor, saying “You’re doing all the talking. I would have popped his ass by now,” Belger said at the arraignment.
Second defendant sentenced on second degree murder charges
Tassy, now 41, was arrested the day of the shooting and in 2017, a Plymouth County jury found him guilty of one count each of second-degree murder and intimidation of a witness.
The jury found him not guilty on two counts of armed assault with intent to rob, unlawful possession of a sawed-off shotgun, unlawful possession of ammunition without a firearms identification card and assault by means of a dangerous weapon, the DA’s office said.
Tassy was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after a minimum of 15 years.