Fall River man convicted of robbing teens at knifepoint

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WLNE) — A Fall River man was convicted Tuesday in Fall River Superior Court for robbing two teenagers at knifepoint in July of 2022.

According to Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III’s office, Ronald DeCosta, 32, was convicted and sentenced to 12-15 years in prison.

Fall River police were called to the scene of an armed robbery at the Quequechan Rail Trail on July 5, 2022 and met the victims, a male and female, both 17.

The victims testified that they were riding a moped down the trail when they encountered a broken down moped off to the side.

Two men approached them, and one feinted a handshake and said his name was Ronnie and pulled out a knife, telling the teens to empty their pockets.

He was later identified as the defendant.

The second subject also pulled out a knife.

The victims dropped their moped and ran down the trail and both subjects left the area on the victims’ moped.

The victims described “Ronnie” to police, and less than an hour later police were dispatched to a male walking a moped down Rodman Street.

The male, DeCosta, matched the description given by the victims and the moped matched that of the stolen moped.

Police conducted a “show up ID” with the victims, both of whom positively identified DeCosta as the person who pulled the knife and stole the moped.

DeCosta has previous criminal record and had served two sentences in state prison.