An ordinary midafternoon at Downtown Crossing turned into a crime scene when, prosecutors say, a group from New Hampshire chased down a 19-year-old and beat him on an MBTA escalator before swiping his phone and bank cards.
Six people from Manchester, New Hampshire were arraigned in Boston on Wednesday in connection with the March 15 incident, which authorities say unfolded around 3:25 p.m. at the busy Downtown Crossing station. The attack left the victim on an escalator with injuries to his face and head, and judges later ordered the defendants to stay away from both the victim and the station.
According to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, Luiz Loaiza, Jose Soto, Cameron Castro, Anthony Perry and Alexander Loaiza were each charged with unarmed robbery, assault and battery with a deadly weapon (shod foot) and disorderly conduct. A sixth defendant, Giavanna Williams, was charged with receiving stolen property over $1,200 and disorderly conduct. A judge set bail at $500 for each person and imposed stay-away conditions; all six are due back in court on May 19 for a probable-cause hearing.
“They will be held accountable for their frightening attack on this young man,” District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a statement released by the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, which also noted that the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
How police tracked the suspects
Authorities say the confrontation started on the Red Line, where the 19-year-old was first approached, then escalated when he ran off the train and onto the Downtown Crossing escalator. There, police allege, the group chased him, kicked him and took his phone, identification and debit cards.
Officers later used the Find My iPhone feature to track the stolen cellphone, locating a group about an hour after the attack outside 99 Blackstone Street. Police say they recovered the stolen items and reported seeing blood on one suspect’s clothing, according to the Boston Herald.
Court schedule and charges
During arraignment in Boston Municipal Court, a judge set $500 bail for each defendant and reiterated the orders to stay away from the victim and the Downtown Crossing station. As the Boston Herald described it, the case centers on a “brazen daytime attack” in the heart of downtown Boston. All six defendants are scheduled to return to court on May 19 for a probable-cause hearing.
