Animal cruelty arraignments …

State arraigns defendants in week-long parade

Fall River Superior Court is a busy place this week as prosecutors have scheduled a parade of arraignments of those facing animal cruelty-related charges involving the Medeiros property of American Legion Highway in Westport.

Nearly a half-dozen people a day will face a judge for the first time Tuesday through Friday as the state begins pursuing the 151-count indictment returned two months ago by a statewide grand jury.

The smallest number of appearances will be Wednesday but that is also the day that Richard Medeiros will appear to answer 21 counts (one for each rented lot). He is the Westport man who owns the large property and rents out parcels of the property to others, most of whom kept animals.

In addition to Mr. Medeiros, 26 others face charges — the number of arragnments listed, police say, reflects the number of animal species kept since individual numbers of animals is to large and uncertain.

Most of the defendants are from Fall River but two are from Westport, two are from New Bedford and one is from Tiverton.

The arraignment schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, seven arraignments

Eddy DeAguiar, 37, of Fall River (10 counts)

Luis Machado,56, of New Bedford (8 counts)

Emmanuel DeSousa, 47, of Fall River (4 counts)

Joao Aguiar, 73, of Fall River (10 counts)

Octavio Botelho, 51, of Fall River (6 counts)

Luis Pacheco, 57, of Fall River (3 counts)

Joseph Rego, 40, of Fall River (4 counts)

Wednesday, five arraignments

Richard Medeiros, 83, of Westport (21 counts

Jeffrey Brilhante, 36, of Fall River (9 counts

Antonio Dias, 64, of Fall River (5 counts)

Rhonda Gadomski, 50, of Fall River (3 counts)

Joao Aguiar, 73, of Fall River (10 counts)

Thursday, eight arraignments

Kenneth Bellevance Jr., 44, of Westport (3 counts)

Scottie Medeiros, 31, of Fall River (1 count)

Antonio Medeiros, 42, of Tiverton (1 count)

Eduardo Caetano, 51, of Fall River (4 counts)

Eduardo Vultao, 51, of Dighton (4 counts)

Diana Magalhaes, 46, of Fall River, (4 counts)

Bruno Magalhaes, 32, of Fall River (4 counts)

Messias P. Farias, 74 ,of Fall River (1 count)

Friday, six arraignments

John Melo, 45, of Fall River (5 counts)

Jose Botelho, 64, of Fall River (11 counts)

Arthur Arruda, 53, of New Bedford (5 counts)

Donald Rapoza, 61, of New Bedford (8 counts)

Jose Reis, 58, of Fall River (3 counts)

Emmanuel DeSousa, 47, of Fall River (4 counts)

Timothy Cabral

“Hundreds of animals on this farm were kept in deplorable and dangerous conditions, with inadequate food, water, or shelter, many of them suffering from severe health ailments that required them to be euthanized,” said Attorney General Maura Healey. “As a result of our investigation, the owner of this farm and its tenants will be held responsible for the inhumane treatment of these animals.”

“This situation is unparalleled to anything I’ve seen in my 37 years as an animal law enforcement officer. The sheer number of animals in dire need of care, and the cruel and unsanitary conditions we found were deplorable. It took an all-out effort of state and local officials along with multiple humane organizations to get all of those animals out of that horrible situation,” said Lt. Alan Borgal, Animal Rescue League of Boston.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Tasnin Chowdhury, chief of AG Healey’s Environmental Crimes Strike Force, Assistant Attorney General Patrick Hanley, Assistant Attorney General Kristyn Dusel, and Assistant Attorney General Jessica Frattaroli, with assistance from Victim Witness Advocate Amber Anderson, Financial Investigator Kathrine Metoyer, and Administrative Assistant Andrea Leone. This case was investigated by Detective Jeff Majewski and the Westport Police Department, with assistance from detectives from the Massachusetts Environmental Police, the AG’s Digital Evidence Lab, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and the Animal Rescue League of Boston.

“The alleged treatment and living conditions of these animals is unacceptable and inhumane, and the Department of Agricultural Resources greatly appreciates the unified team effort made by all the investigating agencies and organizations to ensure justice in this matter,” said Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Commissioner John Lebeaux. “Through inspections, licensing, awareness and education, the Department of Agricultural Resources remains committed to protecting the health and safety of domestic animals across the Commonwealth.”