Man Pleads Guilty And Is Sentenced For Carjacking After Bank Robbery

WOBURN– Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan has announced that Gabriel Megna, 51, of East Boston, pled guilty and was sentenced today on charges of armed carjacking, an incident which occurred following a bank robbery, police chase, and shootout in Malden on March 23, 2012.

Middlesex Superior Court Judge Douglas Wilkins today sentenced Megna to 10 to 12 years on and after the sentence Megna is currently serving for the other charges in the incident after being found guilty on those charges by an Essex County Superior Court Jury on June 17, 2014. An Essex County Superior Court Judge in 2014 sentenced Megna to life with 25 to 30 years concurrent and another five years on and after the 25-30.

"The fear which Gabriel Megna caused three years ago still lingers," said District Attorney Ryan. "His actions have had longstanding consequences on the young mother and others whom he terrorized that day."

According to authorities, on March 23, 2012, at approximately 4:48 p.m., Megna sat in a getaway car outside the Saugus Bank at 412 Lynn Fells Parkway in Saugus while two other men who were "hooded up," wearing body armor, and carrying guns went inside and robbed the bank. After escaping with approximately $4900 cash, the three suspects fled, with Megna driving. The vehicle was driven at a high rate of speed through the streets of Saugus, onto Route One, and eventually onto Route 99, before driving into the parking lot of a condominium complex on Broadway in Malden.

When the vehicle stopped, the suspects exited and attempted to flee. Suspect Michael Ginnetti fled on foot and was later arrested, still wearing body armor and in possession of a firearm and money from the bank.

Megna and a second suspect, William Ekasala, carjacked a vehicle occupied by a female driver and her infant child. Megna opened the driver’s side door and Ekasala, while brandishing a firearm, told the woman that they needed her car. The woman got out of the car and told the men that she was going to get her five month old daughter from the back seat. While she was getting her child, Megna got in the driver’s seat and Ekasala got in the passenger seat. Megna apparently did not know how to operate a standard transmission and the car began to drift forward.

As Megna attempted to drive away, the car began jerking back and forth. As this was occurring, a Malden police officer arrived at the Cliffside Commons Parking lot. The suspects were ordered out of the vehicle. Megna initially got out and raised his hands up in the air but when the officer’s attention was drawn to Ekasala brandishing a firearm, Megna ran away. He ran into the condominium complex and hid under a stairwell. He remained there until discovered by SWAT team members hours after the incident.

Meanwhile, Megna's accomplice, Ekasala, having been ordered to drop his weapon, refused, and instead began shooting at the Malden police officer who had approached him during the carjacking. The two exchanged gunfire. Ekasala attempted then to carjack another vehicle with his firearm, grabbing the driver and trying to use her as a “human shield,” but then abandoned that effort.

Ekasala continued to exchange gunfire with officers from Malden. Ekasala then ran up to a cab driver in the roadway and said, “Give me the car.” The cab driver refused. Next Ekasala approached another motor vehicle in the roadway that had stopped due to the police presence and sounds of gunshots. Ekasala ordered the three men out of the car by gunpoint. The three men jumped out and lay down on the grass nearby covering their heads. Ekasala was still shooting, now at police officers from Saugus and Malden. He was in the car he had just taken from the three men. The exchange of gunfire continued and Ekasala was eventually fatally shot during the event.

This case was investigated by the Saugus Police Department, Malden Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, NEMLAC SWAT Team members, and the FBI Bank Robbery Task Force.

The prosecutor assigned to this case is Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Dunigan. The Victim Witness Advocate is Kristin D'Agnelli.