Superior court sentencing begins for Waltham man charged in 2020 series of assaults 

The first sentencing hearing for Waltham resident Clauvens Janvier was held at Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn on Dec. 22.

Janvier was arrested and arraigned on charges related to multiple assaults in Waltham in 2020.

At the hearing, Judge C. William Barrett spoke about the impact of Janvier’s case on the city, acknowledging a lack of known motive behind the string of attacks.

“I don’t have an answer for a month of mayhem,” Barrett said, noting that the Waltham community was left on edge following the assaults, and it was lucky that no lives were lost.

Waltham police arrested Janvier on Dec. 11, 2020, in connection with an assault at a parking garage on Turner Street a month prior to his arrest. He was linked to 10 other assaults in the city between Nov. 10 and Nov. 27 and a shooting at a gas station on Willow Street on Nov. 24.

Janvier, a 2015 Waltham High School graduate, initially pleaded not guilty to six charges related to the shooting incident at an arraignment at Waltham District Court on Dec. 21, 2020. 

The district court case was closed on July 8, 2021, following the defendant’s indictment on 19 additional charges by a Middlesex Superior Court grand jury on June 24 and his Superior Court arraignment on July 2.

Janvier was charged with carrying a firearm without a license, carrying a loaded firearm without a license, carrying a dangerous weapon, possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card, improper storage of a firearm and receiving stolen property. He was also indicted on five counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, four counts of assault and battery, four counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, mayhem, felony possession of a firearm, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, assault with a dangerous weapon and additional counts of carrying a firearm without a license and carrying a loaded firearm without a license. 

A jury found Janvier guilty on both counts of carrying a firearm without a license and carrying a loaded firearm without a license, as well as felony possession of a firearm, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card on Nov. 18, 2025. The jury also reached a verdict of non-prosecution for the charges of receiving stolen property and improper storage of a firearm on Nov. 12 and Nov. 17, respectively.

After hearing sentence arguments and recommendations from both the defendant’s lawyer and the prosecution, Barrett said he would most likely sentence the defendant to five to eight years in state prison on the guilty verdicts or between 15 andto 19 years in relation to all charges against Janvier.

A trial would be set for the remaining charges if the defendant elects not to accept a sentence for all charges.

Additionally, Mark Wester, an attorney for the defendant, told Barrett that Janvier has an existing detainer on his case, requiring the probation department to alert United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement if Janvier were to be released on probation from state prison. 

Barrett told Wester that he would consult colleagues involved in similar cases to discuss approaches to sentencing, given that probation would likely result in Janvier’s deportation to his native Haiti.

Janvier is scheduled to appear at Middlesex Superior Court for a further hearing on Jan. 5.

All information for this story was gathered from court proceedings and official court documents at Middlesex Superior Court, Waltham District Court and case information from masscourts.org.