New Bedford man charged with Assault, Kidnapping, and Animal Cruelty
By: News Staff
BROCKTON , M.A. – Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced Friday a New Bedford man has been indicted on Assault, Kidnapping and Animal Cruelty charges.
New Bedford resident Matthew Devaney, 29, was indicted Friday by a Plymouth County Grand Jury on three counts of Assault and Battery with a Deadly Weapon, five counts of Assault and Battery on a Family or Household Member, and one count each of Assault, Kidnapping, Animal Cruelty, Using a Motor Vehicle Without Authority, and Larceny Less than $250.
Carver Police responded to a home on June 3, 2016, for a well-being check after a call for a female being held against their will.
Police made their presence known, but received no response and entered the home through a rear door.
Carver Police conducted a sweep of the home, and determined no one was home but found two dogs located in the basement.
One of the dogs appeared to be thin and lethargic.
Authorities obtained the alleged victim’s cell phone number and were able to make brief contact.
The victim told police she was being held against her will and gave them a description of a red Toyota Camry and police issued a bulletin for the vehicle.
Police returned to the home in Carver to investigate further and observed the victim’s dog to be in need of emergency medical attention and contacted Animal Control who took the dog for treatment.
Around 4:15 pm on June 3, New Bedford Police saw the red Camry the victim described, pulled over.
Devaney fled on foot a short distance before he was apprehended by police.
The indictments allege that over the previous night, Devaney beat, threatened, tied up and kept the victim against her will.
The victim reported that she saw Devaney beat her dog on several occasions over that same time period.
Devaney will be arraigned in Brockton Superior Court at a later date.
Devaney is currently being held without bail.
© WLNE-TV / ABC6 2016
