Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

Journal photo / Bob Thayer
David Mello, left, stands to say he was sorry for the pain caused to the family by the death of Marc Quintal. Mello had pleaded guilty to killing Quintal. Mello's lawyer, John E. MacDonald, is at right. The tattoo on Mello's neck reads "Loyalty."

PROVIDENCE -- David Mello was sentenced to serve 40 years in prison for murder and other charges -- plus probation and a consecutive suspended sentence -- in what the judge said will keep him under court supervision "until you're a doddering old man, if you make it that far."

Mello, 21, of various Rhode Island and Massachusetts addresses, was sentenced today by Judge Robert D. Krause in Providence County Superior Court on one count of second-degree murder, one count of robbery conspiracy, one count of unlawful use of a firearm in commission of a crime of violence, and one count of carrying a pistol without a license.

Mello pleaded guilty to the charges in May in connection with the murder of Marc Quintal, 20, of Fall River, Mass., on Aug. 15, 2007, in South Providence.

Krause imposed a 60-year-sentence, 40 of the years to be served at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston, plus a consecutive sentence of 10 years suspended.

Mello and co-defendant Sylvester Moses, also 21, pleaded guilty to conspiring to rob Quintal and his companions during a drug deal in South Providence.

Quintal and companions drove from Fall River to Providence, where they were confronted by Mello and Sylvester. Quintal resisted during the robbery attempt, and Mello shot him once in the back. Quintal was later pronounced dead.

The judge is slated to sentence Moses this afternoon.

Mello was originally indicted for first-degree murder but as part of pleading guilty was instead convicted and sentenced of second-degree murder and the other charges. That spared him, if convicted of first-degree murder, from being sentenced to life in prison.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith

 Tags  David Mello Fall River Marc Quintal murder Providence

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