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Antonio Candello, of Bernardston, was arrested in September 2022, just days after getting out of prison, when he violated the conditions of a restraining order filed against him by a woman, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.
The woman contacted Bernardston police on Sept 19, 2022, to say Candello was in the woods behind her home, reports said. Candello also asked her to alter the restraining order when he wasn't allowed to contact her, the prosecutor added.
The woman filed the restraining order after he allegedly strangled a family member in May 2019, fled into the woods, and hid out in an abandoned cabin, the Greenfield Recorder reported.
Candello was convicted of witness intimidation and restraining order violation in October 2023, and he has remained in jail without bail, the prosecutor said.
Candello was indicted as a habitual felon, which meant he faced up to 10 years in prison. He accepted a deal from prosecutors that put him behind bars for five to seven years rather than have a sentencing hearing, the prosecutor said.
“When someone commits the crime of intimidation of a witness, it endangers the integrity of our judicial system and impacts the safety of our community," said Northwestern Assistant District Attorney Erin Aiello. "The Commonwealth was pleased that the defendant was held accountable for his actions and punished accordingly.”
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