Gillette Stadium Bomb Threat Case Dropped By Prosecutors

FOXBORO (CBS/AP) — The case against a Gillette Stadium worker who had been charged with emailing a threat to blow up the home of the New England Patriots has been dropped by prosecutors.

A spokesman for Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey said in a statement Monday the case against 26-year-old Ryan Ringuette of Attleboro was dropped amid doubts about his guilt.

He was arrested in August amid a dispute with his then-girlfriend, who was charged with lying to police about her access to Ringuette's email account. Her case is still pending.

Ringuette worked part-time for the company that provides security and guest services at the stadium. Authorities say he had no access to bomb-making materials. His lawyer did not return a call for comment.

Here is the full statement from the Norfolk District Attorney's Office:

"It is the charge and obligation of a prosecutor to seek truth in a criminal case, not simply to secure a conviction. Our office continued to work with law enforcement following Mr. Ringuette's arrest and arraignment. Continuing investigation led to Mr. Ringuette's sometime girlfriend, Devon LaMarre, being charged in the investigation. That investigation also began to cast doubt on Mr. Ringuette's factual guilt.

That investigation included examining another cellular phone with access to his email account, examining statements to Foxboro Police by LaMarre, some text messages addressed to him, and working with his employer and defense counsel to obtain additional information.

Prosecutors cannot ethically proceed with any case where they believe the defendant to likely be not guilty of the crime alleged. At this stage in the investigation, that is the case with Mr. Ringuette. That is the reason the District Attorney's Office, after consultation with Foxborough PD, unilaterally withdrew the charges against him.

The next court date in the LaMarre prosecution is Aug. 8, 2018 in the Wrentham District Court.

"The prosecutor's job is to find the truth and act on it promptly and ethically, and my staff knows I expect that in every case," District Attorney Morrissey said. "While probable cause for his arrest existed immediately following the incident, it is now in the interest of justice that the charges against Mr. Ringuette are withdrawn."

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)