Suspect held without bail in killing of Cape officer
Catch and release - "had well over 100 criminal charges in Massachusetts before Thursday’s arrest."
By Cape Cod Times
Posted Apr 14, 2018 at 10:53 AM
Updated Apr 14, 2018 at 6:04 PM
BARNSTABLE — With a stoic sea of blue looking on Friday morning and a
community outside mourning — sometimes lashing out angrily — the man
accused of gunning down Yarmouth police K-9 Officer Sean Gannon was
ordered held without bail after a plea of not guilty to a charge of
murder was entered on his behalf.
A not-guilty plea also was entered on behalf of Thomas Latanowich, 29, to a charge of mistreating or interfering with a police dog during his arraignment in Barnstable District Court. The Somerville man with a long criminal history on Cape Cod is being held at Barnstable County Correctional Facility in Bourne.
A probable cause hearing in the case is scheduled for June 26.
On Saturday, Gov. Charlie Baker ordered all flags in Massachusetts to be lowered to half staff until further notice in honor of Officer Gannon.
Wearing a black T-shirt that exposed heavily tattooed arms, Latanowich never looked up at the gallery jam-packed with police officers and media, keeping his head of curly, reddish hair bowed.
It was not, by a long shot, his first time in a courtroom, but
unlike in many other cases, he left firmly cuffed and shackled under the
watchful gaze of heavily armed law enforcement.
Latanowich, who previously lived in West Yarmouth, had well over 100 criminal charges in Massachusetts before Thursday’s arrest.
A vast majority of the charges were either dismissed or not prosecuted.
In a 2009 case dismissed in Orleans, for example, Latanowich had been charged with threatening to commit a crime and witness intimidation after allegedly accusing roommates of stealing a bag containing five handguns, telling one of them he “has killed people for much less.”
On Thursday afternoon, Gannon, 32, was helping other officers from Yarmouth, Barnstable and the state police serve an arrest warrant for Latanowich at 109 Blueberry Lane in Marstons Mills when he was fatally shot, allegedly by Latanowich. Gannon’s K-9 dog, Nero, also was shot and seriously wounded.
The shooting occurred as Gannon was conducting a sweep of the attic in the house, according to the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office.
Latanowich was taken into custody at the scene after a nearly two-hour standoff.
He was wanted for a probation violation after he missed a home visit and a drug test last week, according to information from the Massachusetts Probation Service.
Records obtained by the Times show he has been arraigned on more than 80 charges in Barnstable and Orleans district courts since 2005. The charges run the gamut of criminal activity, including drug possession and trafficking, firearms possession, armed robbery, bombing and hijacking threats, strangulation, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and vandalism.
An arrest warrant for Latanowich was issued April 6, according to a statement from probation service. He was not present for a home visit April 4 and failed to appear for a drug test April 5.
Although the charges that stemmed from Latanowich’s probation were based in Barnstable County, his probation was being handled by Middlesex County because his verified address was in Somerville, probation service spokeswoman Coria Holland confirmed.
Latanowich was sentenced July 26, 2010, to four to five years in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and related gun charges, according to the statement. He also was sentenced to five years of probation on multiple charges stemming from Barnstable Superior Court, including threatening to commit a crime, intimidation of a witness, knowingly receiving stolen property, possession to distribute heroin, possession to distribute a class D drug and possession of a firearm without a permit
After serving his sentence, he was released on parole Nov. 1, 2013. He violated his parole and was returned to custody until June 24, 2014. He then reported to probation, the term of which was scheduled to end Nov. 1, according to the statement.
“I have opinions on that, but I don’t want to share them right now,” Yarmouth Police Chief Frank Frederickson said outside court after the arraignment about how Latanowich was allowed to walk free in so many cases with such a lengthy record.
“That’s a very good question,” Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe said.
O’Keefe declined to comment on whether the death penalty would be
appropriate in such a case. There is no death penalty possible under
Massachusetts law, although certain federal crimes committed in the
state carry the possibility.
“Our hearts are breaking with the Yarmouth Police Department and his family,” O’Keefe said.
“He was a remarkable young man,” Frederickson said about Gannon as he fought back tears. “He died doing what he loved.”
At least 100 uniformed police officers and state troopers were present at the courthouse, including dozens of Yarmouth officers who occupied several rows of benches in the courtroom during the brief arraignment.
During the early morning, the court’s parking lot had become a staging area for television satellite trucks from Boston, Providence and beyond. Helicopters hovered above the courthouse throughout the morning.
Hours before the arraignment, scores of spectators began to arrive at the county court complex — many holding American flags — waiting for Latanowich to arrive. Many questioned how Lantanowich could have been free in the first place with his criminal record.
“Who’s holding the broom that’s brushing these cases away?” said Chuck Crocker of West Yarmouth, a former Barnstable police officer.
Terry Wargin of Barnstable Village said she knew Gannon and was
puzzled as to why “regular” officers — rather than more heavily armored
personnel — would be sent to serve a warrant in such a potentially
dangerous situation.
“I was bawling all night thinking about the family,” said Linda Bond of South Yarmouth. “When you hear more and more details about this criminal, it becomes a second tragedy. The commonwealth let us down.”
The police report detailing Thursday’s incident has been impounded and was not available after Latanowich’s arraignment.
In a statement issued late Friday night by state police, agency spokesman David Procopio wrote that Latanowich was likely operating a car that a trooper had tried to stop at about 4:30 p.m. April 3 on Route 1 northbound near the Chelsea-Revere line.
COMPLETE COVERAGE IN CAPE COD TIMES
A not-guilty plea also was entered on behalf of Thomas Latanowich, 29, to a charge of mistreating or interfering with a police dog during his arraignment in Barnstable District Court. The Somerville man with a long criminal history on Cape Cod is being held at Barnstable County Correctional Facility in Bourne.
A probable cause hearing in the case is scheduled for June 26.
On Saturday, Gov. Charlie Baker ordered all flags in Massachusetts to be lowered to half staff until further notice in honor of Officer Gannon.
Wearing a black T-shirt that exposed heavily tattooed arms, Latanowich never looked up at the gallery jam-packed with police officers and media, keeping his head of curly, reddish hair bowed.
Latanowich, who previously lived in West Yarmouth, had well over 100 criminal charges in Massachusetts before Thursday’s arrest.
A vast majority of the charges were either dismissed or not prosecuted.
In a 2009 case dismissed in Orleans, for example, Latanowich had been charged with threatening to commit a crime and witness intimidation after allegedly accusing roommates of stealing a bag containing five handguns, telling one of them he “has killed people for much less.”
On Thursday afternoon, Gannon, 32, was helping other officers from Yarmouth, Barnstable and the state police serve an arrest warrant for Latanowich at 109 Blueberry Lane in Marstons Mills when he was fatally shot, allegedly by Latanowich. Gannon’s K-9 dog, Nero, also was shot and seriously wounded.
The shooting occurred as Gannon was conducting a sweep of the attic in the house, according to the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office.
He was wanted for a probation violation after he missed a home visit and a drug test last week, according to information from the Massachusetts Probation Service.
Records obtained by the Times show he has been arraigned on more than 80 charges in Barnstable and Orleans district courts since 2005. The charges run the gamut of criminal activity, including drug possession and trafficking, firearms possession, armed robbery, bombing and hijacking threats, strangulation, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and vandalism.
An arrest warrant for Latanowich was issued April 6, according to a statement from probation service. He was not present for a home visit April 4 and failed to appear for a drug test April 5.
Although the charges that stemmed from Latanowich’s probation were based in Barnstable County, his probation was being handled by Middlesex County because his verified address was in Somerville, probation service spokeswoman Coria Holland confirmed.
Latanowich was sentenced July 26, 2010, to four to five years in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and related gun charges, according to the statement. He also was sentenced to five years of probation on multiple charges stemming from Barnstable Superior Court, including threatening to commit a crime, intimidation of a witness, knowingly receiving stolen property, possession to distribute heroin, possession to distribute a class D drug and possession of a firearm without a permit
After serving his sentence, he was released on parole Nov. 1, 2013. He violated his parole and was returned to custody until June 24, 2014. He then reported to probation, the term of which was scheduled to end Nov. 1, according to the statement.
“I have opinions on that, but I don’t want to share them right now,” Yarmouth Police Chief Frank Frederickson said outside court after the arraignment about how Latanowich was allowed to walk free in so many cases with such a lengthy record.
“That’s a very good question,” Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe said.
“Our hearts are breaking with the Yarmouth Police Department and his family,” O’Keefe said.
“He was a remarkable young man,” Frederickson said about Gannon as he fought back tears. “He died doing what he loved.”
At least 100 uniformed police officers and state troopers were present at the courthouse, including dozens of Yarmouth officers who occupied several rows of benches in the courtroom during the brief arraignment.
During the early morning, the court’s parking lot had become a staging area for television satellite trucks from Boston, Providence and beyond. Helicopters hovered above the courthouse throughout the morning.
Hours before the arraignment, scores of spectators began to arrive at the county court complex — many holding American flags — waiting for Latanowich to arrive. Many questioned how Lantanowich could have been free in the first place with his criminal record.
“Who’s holding the broom that’s brushing these cases away?” said Chuck Crocker of West Yarmouth, a former Barnstable police officer.
“I was bawling all night thinking about the family,” said Linda Bond of South Yarmouth. “When you hear more and more details about this criminal, it becomes a second tragedy. The commonwealth let us down.”
The police report detailing Thursday’s incident has been impounded and was not available after Latanowich’s arraignment.
In a statement issued late Friday night by state police, agency spokesman David Procopio wrote that Latanowich was likely operating a car that a trooper had tried to stop at about 4:30 p.m. April 3 on Route 1 northbound near the Chelsea-Revere line.
COMPLETE COVERAGE IN CAPE COD TIMES
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