Merrimac man gets 18 months in threatening case
Jul. 30—MERRIMAC — A local man who threatened to beat up a woman if she did not pay him money pleaded guilty to multiple charges Wednesday in Newburyport District Court and was sentenced to 18 months in jail.
Tony S. Eaton, 57, of East Main Street was charged with violating an abuse prevention order, intimidating a witness, possessing a firearm without a license or an FID card, and possessing ammunition without an FID card.
In court Wednesday, Eaton's attorney told Judge Allen Swan that his client was "very remorseful" and apologetic for his behavior.
Eaton has been in custody since his March 2020 arrest, prompting Swan to give him credit for 513 days already served. He is due to be released from jail in September but would be on probation for 18 months.
During Eaton's time on probation, he must abide by all restraining orders, must not possess any firearms, and remain drug and alcohol free with random screens.
Eaton ignored conditions of a restraining order and when stopped by local police in March 2020, he was carrying a Glock handgun without having a license for the weapon, according to court documents. The intimidating a witness charge stems from Eaton telling the same woman who filed a restraining against him that he would beat her up if she did not pay him money.
"The affidavit indicated (the victim) had to give Tony Eaton approximately $100 every other day, if not he said he is going to hit her," Merrimac police Officer Jeffrey Boisvert wrote in his report.
Boisvert also wrote that Eaton told the victim to "remove the no abuse order or else."
After an arrest warrant was issued for Eaton for a restraining order violation, Merrimac police Officer Stephen Ringuette went to the suspect's home only to find the house empty.
A short time later, Ringuette saw Eaton's car at the intersection of Mechanic and East Main streets. Ringuette pulled Eaton over on East Main and waited until Chief Eric Shears arrived to assist. Eaton was told he was being arrested and was placed in custody without incident, according to Ringuette's report.
In Eaton's car, Shears found a Sig Sauer firearms case in the back seat and Ringuette found a black semiautomatic Glock firearm, also in the back seat. The gun was not loaded. In the trunk, police found a loaded .357 caliber 10-round magazine.
"I advised Chief Shears that Eaton did not have a LTC (license to carry) to possess a firearm and that I had charged him previously with possession and improper storage of firearms," Ringuette wrote in his report.
Staff writer Dave Rogers can be reached at drogers@newburyportnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @drogers41008.
