Plea Deal Possible In Worcester Molotov Cocktail Case

WORCESTER, MA — Federal prosecutors are holding off on indicting a man accused of carrying Molotov cocktails during a violent June 1 protest in Worcester in the hopes of resolving the case before trial, according to court records.

Vincent Eovacious, 19, has been charged in federal court with civil disorder and unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm. Eovacious faces up to five years in prison and hefty fines, according to federal prosecutors.

So far, prosecutors have twice asked a judge to delay an indictment. The second request was approved on July 28, giving prosecutors until Sept. 4 to get either a plea agreement or a plea to information. In either outcome, Eovacious could enter a guilty plea to avoid a trial.

Eovacious' attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the status of the case.

According to Worcester police reports, Eovacious was first seen standing on the roof of a building at Main and May streets at around 11 p.m. on June 1. Worcester police Sgt. Shawn Barbale began talking to Eovacious, and eventually convinced him to come down off the roof, according to a police report.

When Eovacious did come down, he was arrested in the street by officer Nick Riggeri. Officers found him carrying a satchel with "three clear glass bottles with a slightly yellow liquid which
emanated the smell of gasoline, five white rags, one green lighter, and one silver lighter," court records say.

According to court filings, the civil disorder charge against Eovacious is largely unrelated to the Molotov cocktails.

During the June 1 incident, Beacon Pharmacy, 810 Main St., was damaged. The pharmacy receives deliveries from out-of-state, and so is technically engaged in interstate commerce. Eovacious has not been accused of directly damaging the pharmacy, but his involvement in the larger demonstration means that he contributed to the obstruction of interstate commerce, ATF agent James Mattons wrote in a June court filing.

"[Eovacious] did knowingly commit civil disorder, in that he did knowingly attempt to commit an act to obstruct, impede, or interfere with a law enforcement officer lawfully engaged in the lawful
performance of his official duties incident to and during the commission of a civil disorder which
in any way or degree obstructs, delays, or adversely affects commerce," Mattson wrote.

Eovacious is being charged with possession of an unregistered firearm because destructive devices like Molotov cocktails are grouped with firearms under federal law.

Eovacious was released on June 5 on a $5,000 bond, and was ordered confined to home detention. He was also ordered to undergo mental health treatment, according to court records.