He. But he also said he was trying to turn his life around, making deliveries for a produce company, and said he didn't ever want to end up in prison again. Out of curiosity.. Within that subgenre, which includes The Boondock Saints, The Departed, Mystic River and Affleck's Gone Baby Gone, The Town is more of a straightforward crime-procedural and has a more optimistic outlook. The police officer stood behind Seqeira in line, and when he heard Sequeira making his demand, the officer took Sequeira down to the ground. "[31] Writing in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Laremy Lengel titled his review "The Town Works Best if You Avoid the Heat," also referencing Mann's film. [9][11] By 2008, The Town was decided as the title and Ben Affleck, fresh off his directorial debut in Gone Baby Gone, was brought in by Warner Bros. to serve as the films star, director and co-writer. A third defendant, William Sequeira, 34, of Boston, is scheduled to be sentenced next month. Accused bank robbery suspect who says Ben Affleck played him in - MSN So ultimately, although there seems to be some truth to the films depiction of Charlestown, its authenticity should be taken with a grain of salt. Stay up to date on all the latest news from Boston.com. Was the small community of Charlestown really a locus of bank robbers? William Sequeira, 59, was charged with one count of bank robbery and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date, according to a press release from the office of United States. One of them pointed a handgun at bank employees and told them to get down on the floor while the other jumped over the counter and took money from the teller drawers. But residents beg to differ with the movies portrayal of the area. [14][15] The former MASSBank branch located in Melrose, Massachusetts, was used as the location for the first robbery of the film, taking on the name Cambridge Merchants Bank[16] (the exterior shots, however, are of Cambridge Savings Bank in Harvard Square). Here's a picture of Charlestown's Old Sullys at 56 Union Street which was another filming . September 17, 2010 Fall River man who says he inspired Affleck movie charged in robbery What we know after a Fall River man was killed outside the Cadillac Lounge. Providence stabbing:What we know after a Fall River man was killed outside the Cadillac Lounge. In some cases, he demanded money and threatened to shoot bank tellers. Behind the news are values that drive people and nations. Caprio ended up wiping out his $150 in traffic tickets thanks to a donation he received for "someone who deserves a break. He even got in touch with FBI Violent Crimes Task Force in Boston who gave him insights on the fact that most bank robberies are committed by drug addicts. William Sequeira, 59, was charged with one count of bank robbery and faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. "[27] Xan Brooks, in The Guardian, wrote that the action sequences were "sharply orchestrated" but added "it's a bogus, bull-headed enterprise all the same; a film that leaves no cliche untrampled. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Claire tells Doug she saw a tattoo on one of the robbers but did not tell the FBI, and he realizes that she can identify Jem and send them all to prison. Boston police say they can't verify that: They don't track bank robberies nationwide, and they dont break out bank-robbery statistics from all robbery numbers for the city. The paper reported there is some sense of rivalry between Townies, people who lived in the historically Irish-Catholic neighborhood for decades, and "Toonies", largely white-collar workers who arrived with gentrification, but most of that has died down. [24] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale. Ben Affleck plays me in the movie.. Moreover, although the story of the movie is purely a work of fiction, it actually passes references to several real-life crimes. Boston 25 News facebook feed(Opens a new window), Boston 25 News twitter feed(Opens a new window), Boston 25 News youtube feed(Opens a new window), School administrators: Create a closings account, Caught in the act: Accused bank robber who says Ben Affleck played him busted during heist spree, Deepest condolences: Boston Childrens Hospital pays $15M to family of baby who died during study, Hopkintons former deputy police chief indicted on child rape charges, Hingham Police officer accused of brandishing gun while off duty on Stoneham roadway, 12-year-old girl suffers cardiac episode during soccer practice, 4 men from Mass., NH arrested in Lawrence-based drug trafficking ring, federal authorities say. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Fall River man who claims he inspired 'The Town' charged in Boston bank Fall River man who says he inspired Ben Affleck heist movie charged Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Your honor, attorney Sam Cheng began, My client, because of covid, hes unemployed right now. In fact, Boston real estate agents routinely advise young professionals and families to move to Charlestown, citing its safety. There was already a detective on the scene to intervene and placed Mr. Sequeira under arrest. [29] Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun Times gave the film an A+, noting that he found the film incredibly similar to Michael Mann's Heat, which he described as "one of [his] favorite movies of all time. Man claiming he inspired 'The Town' charged with robbing Boston banks [25], Roger Ebert gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, praising Renner's performance and Affleck's direction. I-Team: Serial bank robber arrested for attempted heist in Back Bay. The Town, a crime-thriller film released in 2010, was directed by Ben Affleck, who also starred as the main antagonist, Doug Macray. Immediately preceding each screening, a vice president from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment thanked all those in attendance, including Titus Welliver (Dino Ciampa), Dennis McLaughlin (Rusty), and Affleck's mother, for coming out and supporting director Affleck's "preferred" version of the film, leading to a short, prerecorded introduction by Affleck himself. Dr George William Sequeria - Jack The Ripper Forums - Ripperology For Claire donates the money, in memory of Doug's mother, to refurbish the local ice hockey arena in which Doug once played. William Sequeira, 59, has previously claimed that Ben Affleck's character in "The Town" is based on him. [11] Later the film's actors also researched within the community to make for more believable characters and performances. [19][3], The film was released on Blu-ray Disc and DVD on December 17, 2010. William Sequeira Profiles | Facebook Doug knows that Jem will kill her if he knows so, to dissuade her from talking, Doug tells her that if she tells the police, they will put her in witness protection and send her to live in another state. Members of the Gang Unit told Vertentes that the suspect resembledan individual suspected of multiple bank robberies in and around Boston. William Sequeira, 59, was charged in Boston Municipal Court Central with two counts of armed robbery of a bank and one count of attempted armed robbery of a bank. William Sequeira, 59, of Providence, Rhode Island, was arraigned Thursday in Boston Municipal Court on a charge of attempted unarmed bank robbery, according to the Boston Police Department. Boston. Fergie then threatens to kill Claire if Doug does not do the job, and he reveals to him that he controlled his father by making his mother an addict, which led to her suicide. Townies, those born and raised here, dont take kindly to being portrayed in Mr. Afflecks film as a bunch of dumb bums" (to use the words of one resident). Frawley spots Jem and they exchange gunfire in which Jem is severely wounded. A judge ordered Sequeira to stay away from Boston and the banks involved. Now William shares his story after his Caught in Providence case went viral.-----. Boston's historic Freedom Trail ends in Charlestown, home to the Bunker Hill Monument and the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides). A lawyer said Sequeira is currently unemployed due to COVID. Now William shares his story after his Caught in Providence case went viral.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\rThese are real people, not actors. Two men entered the First Bank and Trust at 1005 a.m. on Dec. 11. Sequeira told him when he was caught, he had half a million dollars hidden in his fridge in milk containers. At first, he thinks she means to betray him, but she gives a clue verbally to warn him away. The next day, prosecutors say, officers were called to the M&T Bank on Boylston Street around 3:55 p.m. and demanded money, saying Im going to put a gun to your head if you dont give me $100 bills. He left with $388. "I'm going to put a gun to your head if you don't give me $100 bills" the M&T Bank robber said, according to prosecutors. The movie itself aspires to create a cinematic representation of Boston and in no way attempts to antagonize Charlestown or its people. The film premiered on September 8, 2010, at the Venice Film Festival before being released in the United States on September 17, 2010. William Sequeira, 59, of Providence, was arrested on Wednesday during an attempted robbery of the Citizen's Bank located at 426 Boylston Street in the Back Bay, police said. Accused bank robbery suspect who says Ben Affleck played him in 'The [21], On February 5, 2012, to promote the upcoming The Town: Ultimate Collector's Edition set, the AMC Loews Boston Common theater hosted an "exclusive engagement" of The Town (Take 2), wherein three showings of the film were shown with the alternate ending featured in the new home media release. We lived in Charlestown all our lives, Linda McNelley says. Doug tries to back out of the next heist at Fenway Park. On Oct. 4, Vertentes was able to alert law enforcement in Boston that Sequeira was en route to that city. [13], Filming began in late August 2009 in Boston. Federal officials last March also charged Donald Lafond in connection with bank robberies in Boston. In the early 1990s, an increase in the number of bank and armored car robberies by Townies focused attention on Charlestown. In a stroll of Charlestown on a sunny day, its hard to believe this tiny Boston neighborhood could be the bank robbery capital of America the Warner Bros. hype about Ben Afflecks new film The Town, which opens Friday. But after his arraignment in Boston Municipal Court on charges of robbing three Boston banks over the last week,. However, one must not forget that the movie only draws some inspiration from Charlestowns past and is no way implying that the Boston neighborhood is still replete of crime. Their next job, an armored car robbery in the North End, goes awry, and they barely escape. But in recent decades, Charlestown has changed, says Looney. When the film first premiered in 2010, there was some backlash on its representation of the people in Charlestown. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. The WBZ News team is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on WBZ.com. In the hours following the arrests, police charged Sequeira and Donald Lafond with two counts of armed robbery and two counts of conspiracy to commit robbery. Doug reluctantly agrees but swears that he will kill Fergie if anything happens to Claire. However, this film all but ignores the great majority of the residents of Charlestown, past and present, who are the same good and true people found most anywhere,"[35] to whom the film is dedicated. The film was released in the United States on September 17, 2010. You can renew your subscription or Many locals opened their homes to filming for The Town, and they were shocked to see the end results, said Bernie Evers Sr., a townie in his 70s who was relaxing with friends in the Dunkin Donuts. William Sequeira said in 2020 to Providence Judge Frank Caprio on his web series "Caught in Providence" that Ben Affleck's character was based on him. William Sequeira, 59, was indicted this week on four counts of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank robbery, the United States Attorney for Massachusetts Rachael Rollins announced. He also told Pacheco that he had been on an episode of "Caught in Providence" with Judge Frank Caprio. Its about time Hollywood produced something nice about Charlestown, they said. Movie Facts: Is The Town A True Story? - Flicknights In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area. Hollywood will do anything that will sell tickets. EAST PROVIDENCE Bill Black, Principal, Shane Messier, Assistant Principal, Lian Furtado, Assistant Principal, Bob Hanlon, CTC Director, and the amazing staff of East Providence High School, announce the Honor Roll for the 2022-2023 Third Quarter. Determined to not go back to prison, Jem commits suicide by cop by running out with empty guns in hand. But after his arraignment in Boston Municipal Court on charges of robbing three Boston banks over the last week, it might be some time before he ever gets his freedom back. William Sequeira, 59, faces one count of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank robbery, with the former charged carrying up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and. In a new complaint, filed this week in U.S. District Court, Providence, Whitehouse charged the men with armed bank robbery and using a firearm during a crime of violence. Video recorded the dramatic moment police took Sequeira into custody. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date, according to United States Attorney Rachael Rollins. People can draw their own conclusions.. First published on October 5, 2022 / 11:09 PM. Along with Aaron Stockard, who he invited to work with him on the scripts, Affleck interviewed several locals of the Charlestown community. Whitehouse's office said in a statement that the new charges came after an investigation by Cranston Police and the FBI, with the assistance of state police and the Johnston, Coventry and Hopkinton departments. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. On Wednesday, Sequeira was on the move again, traveling from his home in Providence to Boston, unaware that the Joint Violent Crime Task Force was already on his tail. William Sequeira, 34, of Boston, and two brothers, Philip Lafond, 33, of Acushnet, and Donald R. Lafond Jr., 37, of New Bedford, already face state charges in connection with the robbery, at. Explore them here. Man gets caught robbing banks again - The Boston Globe The film ends with a written disclaimer: "Charlestown's reputation as a breeding ground for armed robbers is authentic. The Boston Police Department's Bank Robbery task force tackled. [8][9] In 2006, director Adrian Lyne brought the novel to producer Graham King. At 59 years old, William Sequeira has spent much of his adult life doing time. Its sad, Peletier says. The Christian Science Monitor has expired. 2023 Cox Media Group. And because of the depth of its characters and the stellar performances of its cast, its hard not to wonder if it is actually based on the lives of real people. Instead of coming off as a regular heist movie, the film compromises on the efficiency of its heists, and instead, focuses more on its characters and its well-established Charlestown setup. Bostons historic Freedom Trail ends in Charlestown, home to the Bunker Hill Monument and the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides). U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lovegreen ordered the men held pending further investigation. From what Im getting, people dont like it. Now she's facing charges. You dont have a Christian Science Monitor But their statistics do show that Charlestown has barely more than 2 percent of all Boston robberies, not just bank robberies. The movie brought in over $154 million worldwide and was named one of the top 10 movies of 2010. . Its likely he may be charged with a fourth, as well as a recent bank robbery in Fall River. They feel we were abused, says Mr. Evers, who adds, Im not rushing to see the movie. June 30, 2020 'The Town' is a scintillating crime drama that grips from its very onset and keeps you hooked till the end. [citation needed], The Town was shown at the Venice Film Festival and premiered at Boston's Fenway Park. Ben Affleck played this real-life bank robber in 'The Town'. King in turn showed it to Warner Bros. studio, who agreed to make an adaptation directed by Lyne and written by Sheldon Turner. I got a job! Sequeira interrupted. According to prosecutors, Sequeira has served previous long sentences for bank robbery.. William Sequeira, 59, has served long sentences for bank robbery.. FILEA man who claims he's robbed at least 100 banks and that Ben Affleck's character in"The Town" was based on him was held without bail Thursday on charges of robbing two Boston banks and attempting to rob a third, prosecutors said. https://www.caughtinprovidence.com/ The hour-long chase drew state police and officers from Johnston, Coventry and Hopkinton, R.I., as it proceeded onto Routes 295 and 95. Follow Boston.com on Instagram (Opens in a New Tab), Follow Boston.com on Twitter (Opens in a New Tab), Like Boston.com on Facebook (Opens in a New Tab), Ben Afflecks character in the movie The Town is based on him, Boston man's November death ruled a homicide; woman facing murder charge, Police: Maine man killed parents before firing on motorists, 4 shot dead in Maine home, gunfire erupts on highway, and a man charged with murder: What we know so far. contact customer service The attorney placed his hand in front of Sequeiras face urging him to keep quiet. [22][additional citation(s) needed], On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, The Town has an approval rating of 92% based on 235 reviews, with an average rating of 7.70/10. New Bedford brothers sentenced for bank robberies William Sequeira, 59, was charged with one count of bank robbery and faces a sentence of up to . From the deck of a small house, Doug looks out over the water, forlorn, but seemingly safe in Florida. Most of these professionals live in a 1-square-mile neighborhood called Charlestown." BOSTON - An infamous criminal, who claims he's robbed more than 100 banks, was arrested in an attempted heist in the Back Bay. But after his arraignment in Boston Municipal Court on charges of robbing three Boston banks over the last week,. During a visit to his father, Stephen, in prison, Doug shares his plan to leave Boston for Florida. [33], A voice in the trailer of the film says: "There are over 300 bank robberies in Boston every year. improve functionality and performance. Watching from across the street via binoculars, he sees the FBI are with her as she tells him to come over. Where Was The Town Filmed? - The Cinemaholic If you have questions about your account, please or call us at 1-617-450-2300. Your subscription to The Town is a scintillating crime drama that grips from its very onset and keeps you hooked till the end. "The bottom line is, the statistics speak for themselves, Mr. Comcowich says. Soon, a romance grows between them, which Doug hides from the gang. Doug flees by donning an MBTA uniform and escaping on a train. Charles Hogan got the idea for his novel, on which the film is based, in 1995. William Sequeira was arrested after fleeing the scene of a robbery and crashing his car. But youll find in each Monitor news story qualities that can lead to solutions and unite usqualities such as respect, resilience, hope, and fairness. A Fall River man with a history of attempted bank robbery was charged in connection with a September incident at a TD Bank branch in Boston. Man Who Claims to be Inspiration for Ben Affleck's Character in 'The The extended/unrated version is a Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy bundle which includes 28 minutes of additional footage, taking the runtime to over 153 minutes. Well, if statistics can't prove that Charlestown is the bank robbery capital of America, then it must not be, right? "[30] The reviewers at Spill.com also praised one of the shootout scenes, saying "It is surely the best shootout scene we have seen in decades. He allegedly approached a teller and stated, give me all the hundreds in the drawer, and give me all the money before I blow your brains out. He then fled on foot. Based on actual events, it received praise from critics for its direction, screenplay, editing, and the performances of the cast (particularly Renner) and grossed $154 million worldwide. An accused banker robber who claimed Ben Affleck played him in "The Town" has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges in connection with a spree of bank robberies in Massachusetts earlier this year. William Sequeira, 59, was charged in Boston Municipal Court Central with two counts of armed robbery of a bank and one count of attempted armed robbery of a bank. When Frawley learns Claire quit her job, he taps her phone, shows his file on Doug to her, and threatens to prosecute her as an accomplice. Accused bank robbery suspect who says Ben Affleck played him in The Town, appears in court. According to the charging documents, Sequeira entered the TD Bank branch on Union Street in Boston Sept. 30. Shocked that Doug was one of her assailants, she cooperates with the FBI and breaks up with him. I guess the author of the book or the author of the movie might be able to shed more light on that, he adds. According to prosecutors, Sequeira has served previous long sentences for bank robbery. But as depicted in the movie, the task force had recently busted a gang which was very similar to the movies AK-47-wielding crew. William Sequeira, 59, was charged with one count of bank robbery and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date, according to a press release from the office of United States. William Sequeira, 59, was charged with one count of bank robbery and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date, according to a press release from the office of United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. He also claimed to have been involved in the largest police chase in Rhode Island history, after robbing a bank in Cranston. At 59 years old, William Sequeira has spent much of his adult life doing time. Do celebrities in Africa make you cringe? A lot of us turned out pretty good, he says. They suspect Sequeira might return to Boylston Street where two banks were hit in the last few days. On Oct. 5, law enforcement surveilling the Back Bay area in an effort to locate Sequeira spotted him entering a Citizens Bank branch on Boylston Street in Boston. But the Boston FBI does track bank robberies nationwide, and its statistics show that the whole state of Massachusetts has fewer than 3 percent of all bank robberies nationwide. Infamous bank robber William Sequeira arrested in attempted Back Bay heist Please keep that in mind when you comment. School security lapses exposed:This Freetown mom tried to expose school security failures. The Town (2010 film) - Wikipedia EPHS names students to 2022-23 third quarter honor roll an episode of "Caught in Providence" with Judge Frank Caprio, Houston House helps residents get back on their feet, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. However, unlike the movie, this shop is actually located in South Boston, not Charlestown. Sequeira was also charged with assault with a deadly weapon, the .357 Magnum. Investigators believe Sequeira was also the suspect responsible for the first two robberies. Although we dont have the exact figures for Charlestowns crime rate in the 90s, statistics suggest that there was indeed a surge in the rate of robberies in Massachusetts in the 80s and 90s, which substantially dropped in the mid-aughts. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Rebecca Hall (l.) and Ben Affleck appear in 'The Town. In a stroll of Charlestown on a sunny day, it's hard to believe this tiny Boston neighborhood could be "the bank robbery capital of America " - the Warner Bros. hype about Ben Affleck's . Sequeira appeared on the local legal television show Caught in Providence two years ago, Boston25 reported. And, he says, Its a good movie., Townies cite their pride in growing up in a close-knit neighborhood with traditionally large Irish Catholic families whose members went on to work as priests, politicians, police officers, and firefighters. A judge set bail at $50,000.00 and Sequeira was sent back to jail where, its likely no one will confuse him with Ben Affleck. William Sequeira claims to have robbed 150 banks and inspired the character Ben Affleck portrayed in the heist movie, "The Town." But when he walked into the Citizens Bank in the Back Bay . This Freetown mom tried to expose school security failures. A Fall River man, who claims to be the inspiration for Ben Affleck's character in the bank heist film "The Town," has been charged in connection with robbing a TD Bank branch in downtown Boston.

Contact Jonathan Capehart, Witcher 3 Lighthouse Drawbridge, Uss Tripoli Helicopter Crash, Articles W