Worcester high schooler charged with having Molotov cocktails ordered house arrest

The Worcester teen charged with having Molotov cocktails during a protest and described by feds as a “danger to the community” was ordered to go on house arrest during a detention hearing on Friday.

“He’s the guy with the Molotov cocktail looking for an opportunity, urging that crowd to go further, to murder police officers,” federal prosecutor Dan Bennett said of 18-year-old defendant Vincent Eovacious of Worcester.

Eovacious was federally charged following a protest for the justice of George Floyd on Monday when Worcester Police officers noticed him pacing on the roof of Pennywise Market, “armed with several Molotov cocktails,” police wrote in a press release.

Federal officials said officers found the makings of three Molotov cocktails in a satchel Eovacious was carrying, and he also allegedly yelled at the crowd of protesters to kill police.

“Quite simply, even at 18 — even at 18 he has already proven himself repeatedly to be a danger to the community,” Bennett said in a Friday afternoon virtual court hearing.

Eovacious said that he was “with the anarchist group,” according to U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling’s office.

Bennett said in addition to the items discovered by officers during the protest, more makings of a Molotov cocktail were found in his car just two days later.

“The defendant, while smirking, admitted to having a gas canister in his car,” said Bennett.

Bennett added that Eovacious was previously on probation in 2016, which he violated twice.

Bennett asked Judge David Hennessy that Eovacious be detained, while the defendant’s lawyer, Jessica Thrall, said, “I think putting Mr. Eovacious into pretrial detention for an extended period of time makes the situation worse.”

Thrall cited his young age, mental health background, part-time job at Whole Foods where he was arrested and “exceptional” work at the alternative school Bay Cove Academy in Brookline from which he will soon graduate.

Eovacious, appearing from Donald W. Wyatt Detention Center, was on the video call along with his parents.

Thrall asked that Eovacious be released to his parents, “These are engaged, caring parents who want to have their son home so that he can finish up school and get some help.”

Hennessy, saying it was an “extremely close” and “very hard” decision ordered Eovacious be released to his parents on home incarceration and can only leave the home for emergency medical reasons.

Hennessy said if Eovacious violates his house arrest, he will be detained. Under Hennessy’s terms, Eovacious cannot look for work and must receive the necessary mental health treatment and medication.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/372o6T0