LEWISTON – The men who attacked and robbed a pizza delivery man Sunday night later divvied up $150 from the heist and went shopping at Wal-Mart, according to a police affidavit.
Two of four suspects in the robbery made initial court appearances Tuesday in 8th District Court. Eric St. Pierre, 20, of 253 Main St., Auburn, was ordered held on $9,000 cash bail. Jesus Rodriguez, 20, of 48 River St., was ordered jailed on $7,000 bail.
A 15-year-old Auburn boy was charged with robbery and then released to his mother, according to the court document. A fourth suspect, an Auburn man, has not yet been charged.
The suspects are accused of tying up a 23-year-old Domino’s Pizza delivery man at 46 River St., threatening him with knives and stealing money and personal items.
The victim told police he had been sent to deliver six pizzas to the apartment at about 10:15 p.m. Sunday. Once there, he said, one man opened the door and invited him inside. Moments later, a second man jumped out from behind the door and both suspects pulled out knives, according to the affidavit.
The delivery man was ordered to sit in a chair where he was tied with shoelaces. A rag was stuffed in his mouth as a gag, the victim told police.
Investigators said the attackers stole $150 from the victim and made off with his cell phone and wallet. They also took off with some of the pizzas.
The victim later freed himself and reported the robbery to police. Detective Scott Bradeen went to the scene of the heist and found a wooden chair with shoelaces on either side, according to the affidavit. Other officers found a bandanna, a short piece of telephone cord, medical tape and Domino’s Pizza delivery bags.
Investigators said the suspects made crucial errors during the robbery. Two people who live in the River Street neighborhood said they saw four people running from the back door of the apartment building where the attack occurred. One of the suspects removed the bandanna from his face and was recognized by the witnesses, police said.
The suspects were also captured on a Wal-Mart video camera as they shopped with stolen money and the pizza delivery man’s credit card, police said. Within 12 hours of the robbery, with the help of the Central Maine Violent Crimes Task Force, police had found all four suspects and charged three of them.
The fourth suspect admitted his role and turned over knives and bandannas to police, according to the affidavit. That man also handed over items he had purchased at Wal-Mart as well as his share of the robbery money – $31 in cash.
Police said the fourth suspect in the heist will likely be charged with robbery when the grand jury rises next month.
According to court documents, St. Pierre and Rodriguez both have pending charges from unrelated cases. St. Pierre is awaiting a court hearing on a theft charge stemming from an alleged shoplifting incident at JC Penney in June. Rodriguez, who recently moved to Lewiston from Connecticut, was charged with disorderly conduct by Lewiston police in May.
At the court hearing Tuesday, St. Pierre asked that his bail be lowered to $1,000 so he could be with his girlfriend when she delivers a baby. The judge denied the request.
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