BOSTON — A North End restaurant owner accused of opening fire outside a popular bakery last year has changed his plea to guilty.
Patrick Mendoza was caught on surveillance video a year ago he shot a man on Hanover Street, with whom he had a long-standing feud. Although the bullets missed the victim, they did hit the Modern Pastry Shop.
“He took responsibility”
“That was the whole purpose of today. He took responsibility for what he did,” said defense attorney Rosemary Scapicchio.
She said what happened that day was a mental health issue, and that he has had a volatile relationship with the court ever since. Last month, Mendoza has turned off his GPS a monitoring bracelet, but his lawyer said that has since changed.
CBS Boston
“It’s a complete change in his mental health,” Scapicchio said.
Mendoza now faces 2 1/2 years in prison, with 18 months. One of the five charges, a weapons charge, was also dropped. Prosecutors originally sought three to five years.
“This was a very serious offense,” said prosecutor Daniel Nucci. “Mr. Mendoza now admits that he fired a shot near an individual on Hanover Street whom he has known for years.”
Judge calls it an opportunity
When he sentenced Mendoza to three years’ probation after his release, the judge saw it as an opportunity.
“If you do what you have to do, stick with your treatment and get through this, you’re going to be OK,” Judge Christopher Belesoz said. “If you don’t think you can win this bet, don’t take this bet, because that’s exactly what it is. It’s up to you to make this work.”
Mendoza is part of a family that owns several restaurants in the North End. The only comment his family had on the judge’s decision was, “It’s a good day.”
His lawyer said it is now time for Mendoza to move on. “He has agreed to all the conditions that the court has imposed and he is on the road to recovery, and that is a good thing,” Scapicchio said.
Mendoza has been ordered to stay a few blocks away from Hanover Street and will receive a reduced sentence for time served. The victim in the case was not present at the hearing, but according to the prosecutor, he disagrees with the sentence.
