A Marlborough man has been sentenced to prison after a jury found him guilty of attacking another man with a machete during an argument over a soccer game, as confirmed by Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Marlborough Chief of Police David Giorgi. According to information received from the Middlesex District Attorney's Office, 41-year-old Abel Hernandez has been convicted of threatening to commit a crime and mayhem following the violent outburst that happened at his Broad Street home on July 9, 2023.
Hernandez was embroiled in an altercation with other spectators when the incident took place eventually escalating tensions to a point where he wielded a machete and swung it at the victim's forearm nearly severing the hand, simultaneously declaring "I’m going to kill you." The Middlesex DA's Office further detailed that Hernandez attempted to evade arrest by fleeing the scene, however, Marlborough police later nabbed him at the crossroads of Church Street and Hildreth Street.
During the investigation and Hernandez's trial, his defense claimed he was absent during the attack, instead spending time at a restaurant that did not serve alcohol and was closed on Sundays, at the time of the incident, and said he later went to a woman's house. Through extensive investigations, including interviews with multiple witnesses, authorities successfully refuted his alibi as inconsistencies emerged; thus, the assailant’s narrative crumbled under the scrutiny of evidence and testimonies.
At the conclusion of a four-day trial, the Superior Court jury delivered a verdict of guilty, imposing a sentence of four to five years in state prison for the mayhem charge on Hernandez, he was also slapped with three years of probation requiring him to avoid contact with the victim and witnesses, and prohibiting him from possessing any dangerous weapons, according to the Middlesex District Attorney's press release.
The legal proceedings were overseen by Middlesex Superior Court Judge Catherine Ham, with Assistant District Attorney Robert Royce leading the prosecution and Victim Witness Advocate Lesia Schymonowytsch providing support to the victim throughout the trial process; their collective efforts characterized by a steadfast pursuit of justice in the face of violent criminal behavior.
Details of the trial and the subsequent sentencing can be found on the Middlesex District Attorney's official website at www.middlesexda.com.
