North End restaurateur pleads guilty in 2023 shooting outside Modern Pastry

Patrick Mendoza was accused of shooting at a neighborhood rival last summer.

Just over a year after he was accused of shooting at a neighborhood rival outside Modern Pastry, a North End restaurateur has pleaded guilty to several charges.

Patrick Mendoza, whose family owns Monica’s Trattoria, was charged in connection with the July 12, 2023, shooting on Hanover Street that pierced Modern Pastry’s front window. He pleaded guilty in Suffolk Superior Court Friday to four charges, including armed assault with intent to murder and attempted assault and battery with a firearm.

Judge Christopher Belezos sentenced Mendoza to 2 1/2 years in the South Bay House of Correction, suspending one year of that sentence and crediting Mendoza with 334 days already served. Mendoza would only be required to serve the suspended balance if he violates the conditions of his three-year probation, which include mental health treatment and orders to stay away from the victim and the area of Hanover Street where the shooting occurred.

Mendoza was accused of trying to shoot Rocco Giovanello, a man with whom he had a longstanding feud. According to court documents, Giovanello told officers Mendoza “approached him while riding a bicycle and after exchanging words, fired at least one shot towards him, which narrowly missed.”

The shooting was captured on surveillance video, and police were on the hunt for Mendoza for about a week before he turned himself in to authorities in Falmouth. After posting bail in early May, Mendoza was arrested the following month for cutting off his GPS monitoring device.

Speaking outside the courthouse Friday, Mendoza’s attorney, Rosemary Scapicchio, suggested Mendoza has been working on his mental health.

“He’s not avoiding anything. It’s the exact opposite, in fact,” Scapicchio said, according to WHDH. “He’s taking responsibility for his actions. He’s taking responsibility for everything that happened that day and he’s agreed to all the terms the court has imposed and he’s on the road to recovery.”

WHDH reported that Mendoza blew a kiss to his family as he was led off to jail. His brother, Jorge Mendoza-Iturralde, has been an outspoken critic of Mayor Michelle Wu and her outdoor dining policies in the North End. This past spring, Mendoza-Iturralde said he plans to run against Wu in 2025.