Riverhead, NY – A Suffolk County man with a long history of violent offenses has been sentenced to 22 years to life in prison for brutally attacking another passenger aboard a county bus just two months after being released on parole, prosecutors announced.
Brian France, 62, of Coram, was found guilty in October of assault in the second degree and assault in the third degree following a jury trial before Supreme Court Justice Timothy P. Mazzei.
District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said France’s violent past and quick return to crime underscore the risks posed by premature parole releases.
Bus surveillance captured the attack
Prosecutors said the assault occurred on May 20 when France boarded a Suffolk County Transit bus in Patchogue headed for Coram. Spotting a man he knew from Department of Social Services housing, France bypassed several open seats and sat directly behind the victim.
Video evidence showed France pulling a padlock tied to a strap from his pocket and striking the victim multiple times in the head before repeatedly punching him. The victim suffered a severe ear injury and was treated at a local hospital. France fled the bus immediately after the attack, leaving the weapon behind.
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Long criminal history and repeat incarceration
France’s criminal record spans more than four decades. He was convicted of rape and burglary in 1981, grand larceny in 1985, and second-degree murder in 1988, serving over 32 years in state prison. While incarcerated, he was convicted of attempted assault in 2005.
He was first paroled in 2020 but returned to prison for violating parole in 2023. Released again on March 6, 2025, France committed the May assault just over two months later.
Prosecutor criticizes parole reform proposals
District Attorney Tierney said the case illustrates the danger of lenient parole measures, particularly the proposed “Elder Parole” bill pending in the state legislature. “This violent and unprovoked assault on another passenger simply riding the bus demonstrates why the ill-advised Elder Parole bill will result in violence perpetrated on innocent victims,” Tierney said.
Justice Mazzei imposed the maximum sentence permitted under the law, citing France’s violent history and recent parole violations.
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