The 22-year-old was sentenced to 2½ years plus 18 months on a charge of intimidating a witness.
SPRINGFIELD - A Hampden Superior Court judge on Monday sentenced a 22-year-old Ludlow man to 2½ years in the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow for robbing another man while holding a BB gun to his neck.
Judge Peter A. Velis tacked on an additional 18 months in the Ludlow facility for Vincent Dzierwinski on a charge of intimidating a witness.
Velis told Dzierwinski, of 57 Kirkland Ave., that “you do not make threats” to people who are seeking justice through legal channels.
Dzierwinski pleaded guilty to armed robbery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery and intimidating a witness.
Assistant District Attorney Richard B. Morse said that the victim had arranged through a third man to buy an oxycodone pill from Dzierwinski.
When Dzierwinski was in the victim’s car for the arranged transaction, and the sale didn’t go through, Dzierwinski put the BB gun to the victim’s neck and took his money, also hitting him with the gun, Morse said. The victim thought it was a real gun, Morse said.
The victim went to the Ludlow police department to report the robbery. While the victim was driving to the police department, Dzierwinski called the victim and said he would return the money if the victim promised not go to the police, Morse said.
Morse said that at the police department, with an officer listening to the speakerphone call, the victim called Dzierwinski back. Dzierwinski said the victim better not go to police or he would “have someone go to your door.”
Morse had asked for a 3-4½-year state prison sentence followed by three years probation. Defense lawyer James J. Bregianes asked for a 2½-year sentence at the Ludlow facility with probation afterwards.
Velis said that he didn’t want to send Dzierwinski to state prison in part because of his age and then gave the total of four years to the Ludlow facility followed by six years probation.