A 48-year-old Fall River man has been sentenced to 7 to 10 years in state prison after pleading guilty to robbing a man at knifepoint outside the city's SRTA bus station, authorities said. Edwin Reyes was identified as the masked attacker who jabbed his victim with a blade before pedaling away on a child's bicycle.
Early Morning Attack at the Bus Terminal
The robbery unfolded on April 17, 2025, at around 5 a.m., when Fall River Police officers were dispatched to the SRTA bus station after a report of an armed robbery, according to fallriverreporter.com. The victim told police he was approached by a masked man wielding a knife who demanded money from him. During the confrontation, the attacker jabbed the victim with the knife before fleeing the scene on a bicycle, per the same account.
According to WJAR, the suspect took $20 from the victim during the robbery. The Fall River Reporter's account also states that the victim gave the attacker $20.
Surveillance Footage Led Police to Reyes
Investigators used surveillance video of the robbery along with matching descriptions of the suspect's clothing and bicycle to zero in on a suspect, the Fall River Reporter's report notes. Police soon encountered Reyes, who fit the description, was wearing the same clothing spotted in the footage, and was riding a children's bicycle. When he was taken into custody, officers found him in possession of two pocketknives and $50 in cash, per the outlet's reporting.
A History of Violent Robbery Convictions
Prosecutors said Reyes was no stranger to the justice system. The report notes he has prior convictions for armed and masked robbery and had previously served time in state prison. Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn did not mince words about the defendant's record, saying, “This is a habitual criminal who continues to commit violent crimes. He needs to be kept off the street.”
Reyes ultimately pleaded guilty to armed and masked robbery in Fall River Superior Court. He was sentenced by Judge William White to serve 7 to 10 years in state prison, the outlet reported. Assistant District Attorney Kalene Kobza prosecuted the case.
