May 9, 2025 – Springfield, Massachusetts – Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni announced the conviction and sentencing of John Brown Jr., 37, of Springfield, Massachusetts. A Hampden County jury found Brown Jr. guilty of armed assault with intent to murder.

On April 29, 2025, the Court sentenced him to 18 to 20 years for armed assault with intent to murder, and three to five years for illegal possession of a firearm to be served after the first penalty.

Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni stated, “The defendant’s actions were vicious and needless  – an act of unadulterated violence over a disagreement about a sandwich. The victim still suffers debilitating injuries from the attack, but the fact that he survived is nothing short of a miracle. I want to thank Assistant District Attorney Tom Prendergast and Victim Witness Advocate Stacy Martel for their work on this case, as well as our law enforcement partners in Holyoke for their thorough investigation, which helped ensure justice was served.”

On December 17, 2022, officers with the Holyoke Police Department were dispatched at 8:46 p.m. to the Unicorn Pub, located at 126 High St., for a report of shots fired with injuries. Upon arrival at the scene, a man, identified as Benito Agron, 39, a cook at the bar, was lying on the floor in the bar area.

With the help of security video from the interior of the bar, investigators observed John Brown Jr. sitting at the bar talking with Agron and later receive a sandwich from Agron. As Brown Jr. ate the sandwich, he observed there was bacon in it. At this time, Brown Jr. and Agron got into a verbal altercation, that turned physical. As the fight broke up, Brown Jr. yelled at Agron that if he was at the bar when he returned, he would kill him.

Within 30 to 40 minutes, Brown Jr. returned to the bar, walked directly to Agron, pulled out a handgun, and shot Agron at close range – five shots, with four striking Agron. Patrons of the bar were within close proximity, as well as other bar staff.

In addition to video surveillance footage, investigators spoke with several witnesses, with two independently identifying John Brown Jr. as the suspect. DNA evidence identifying Brown Jr. was retrieved from Brown Jr.’s sunglasses, which were left at the scene during the physical altercation.

The Commonwealth was represented by Assistant District Attorney Tom Prendergast, with Stacy Martel serving as victim witness advocate.