A local man pleaded guilty to armed assault to murder and firearms charges in Worcester Superior Court on Tuesday in connection with a shooting incident outside the Worcester Trial Court in February 2023.
James Freeman IV, of Worcester, was sentenced by Judge Daniel Wrenn to serve 9 to 11 years in prison on the armed assault to murder charge. He was also sentenced to:
- Nine to 10 years on two counts of carrying a firearm without a license (3rd offense);
- Four to five years on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and firearm possession in commission of a felony;
- Three months on a charge of discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building;
- 18 months on a charge of improper storage of a large capacity firearm; and
- 2-and-a-half years in jail on a charge of possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number.
All sentences will run concurrent with the 9 to 11-year sentence.
On Feb. 2, 2023, Worcester Police responded to the area of 144 Main St. in response to reports of gunshots outside the Worcester Trial Court.
Officers locate evidence of a shooting and identified Freeman as one of the people involved. Authorities said he fired multiple shots at a car driving on a busy part of Main Street.
No injuries were reported as a result of the shooting.
Freeman was arrested six days after the incident during a motor vehicle stop. Authorities located a firearm and ammunition inside the vehicle at the time of the stop.
