NORTHAMPTON — After 24 years prosecuting some of the region’s most serious and high-profile criminal cases, First Assistant Northwestern District Attorney Steven Gagne is being honored with a prosecutor of the year award for his skill, integrity and dedication to justice.
Gagne said he felt humbled and honored to be included among previous recipients of the William C. O’Malley Prosecutor of the Year Award, an annual recognition considered one of the highest honors for prosecutors in Massachusetts. He received the award in March at the annual Massachusetts District Attorneys Association (MDAA) conference in Boston.
“I’ve seen this award given out to folks that I always considered to be somewhat of legends within the profession, prosecutors who have been at it for decades, prosecuting serious, and sometimes high-profile cases,” Gagne said. “It’s kind of a realization that I’ve been at this for a while and I’m not quite the baby prosecutor I used to be starting off in Bristol County back in 2002.”
Gagne joined the Northwestern district attorney’s office in 2011 after working for eight years in Bristol County’s appellate division, where he successfully defended convictions, including several first-degree murder cases.
In his role as first assistant district attorney, Gagne “continued a distinguished career in trial advocacy, prosecuting some of the most serious, complex and high-stakes cases in the region,” said Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan in a statement.
Sullivan also wrote that Gagne’s “zealous advocacy and tenacious spirit” has been widely respected for the last 15 years. He wrote that Gagne has handled hundreds of cases and brought dozens to trial, including multiple murder prosecutions.
“Steve has distinguished himself as an exceptional trial attorney, a gifted appellate advocate, a champion for victims, and a true mentor and example for other prosecutors statewide,” Sullivan wrote.
Of the many high-profile cases that he has prosecuted, Gagne said he was particularly proud to have successfully prosecuted the case of Cara Rintala, of Granby, who was sentenced to 12 to 14 years in prison in 2023 after she killed her wife, Annamarie Cochrane Rintala, in Granby in 2010.
Gagne explained that the case was tried four times between 2011, when he first took on the case, and Rinalta’s 2023 conviction for manslaughter.
“I would say that case stands out in my career, not only for its complexity, but just the length of time, the number of trials, and the perseverance and endurance of the victim’s family,” Gagne said. “They were the ones who were suffering throughout this entire process and looking for justice, which seemed so elusive for so long. That was just a testament to the type of perseverance that this job requires.”
Noting that the William C. O’Malley Prosecutor of the Year Award is sometimes referred to as a “lifetime achievement award,” as prosecutors typically receive the recognition toward the end of their careers, Gagne said he has no immediate intention of leaving behind a job that he loves.
“I really wanted to emphasize how humbling this is,” he said. “I like to think I’ve got a few miles left in me and I just love coming to work every day and continuing the pursuit of justice.”
