JONATHAN C. HOUSTON
WESTFIELD – An enterprising city youth had a bad day in the marijuana business Thursday.
He was assaulted in the morning while he was trying to buy marijuana and assaulted again in the evening while he was trying to sell marijuana.
City police report that a 16-year-old Exchange Street resident called at 1:14 a.m. Thursday to complain that he had been mugged by two male parties he identified by name.
Officer Elijah Wolfe reports that the victim told him that he had been leaning into the window of a parked pickup truck while negotiating a purchase of marijuana when he was attacked from behind. The boy said that he knew the two male parties from prior drug dealing and other encounters and that they punched and kicked him before they fled.
The boy explained that his two assailants had “a beef” with him because he had previously sold them “fake drugs”.
The victim said that he had been holding his cell phone in his hand before the attack and dropped it when he was assaulted. He said his assailants must have taken it when they fled since he could not find it after the attack.
State Police were asked to check the Russell residence of one of the persons the victim identified and found Jonathan C. Houston, 18, at his 961 Blandford Road, Russell, home.
He was taken into custody and transported to Westfield by Officer Francis Gaulin where he was arrested for assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (a shod foot) and unarmed robbery.
Houston was arraigned later Thursday in Westfield District Court and released on his personal recognizance pending a Feb. 2 hearing.
During the day, the boy was apparently able to replace his cellphone since he called again later that same day, at 9:08 p.m., to report that he had been robbed at knifepoint during a marijuana purchase.
He again identified his assailants by name and said that they left on foot and he was following them.
Officer Bradley White reports that as he was approaching the scene of the robbery at the intersection of Main and Cross streets, he saw two persons walking and recognized one of them as a person the boy had named. The officer detained the two male parties and reports that the victim approached him, yelling at the two suspects.
The boy told the officer that he had spoken with one of the suspects, Omar Maldonado, 20, of no fixed address, earlier about selling him “weed” and they had arranged to meet.
OMAR E. MALDONADO
The boy said that he had not expected him to be accompanied by the other suspect who, when he produced the marijuana he was offering to sell, questioned the claimed weight of his wares. The victim said that after he got out scales to weigh the marijuana, the other youth grabbed both the marijuana and the scales and, producing a large knife, also took the boy’s money.
The victim told White that when he demanded that the other boy give him back his property the other boy threatened to kill him. He said the youth thrice tried to stab him but he was able to evade the thrusts.
The boy said that Maldonado laughed as his partner engaged the victim and then told the other boy that it was time to flee.
White reports that the other boy, later found to be a 17-year-old Springfield juvenile, was found to be in possession of a large kitchen knife.
Maldonado was arrested for armed robbery and assault with intent to murder.
He was arraigned Friday in Westfield District Court and was released on $2,500 personal surety pending a Jan. 4 hearing.
The juvenile defendant was charged with being delinquent by reason of armed robbery and assault with intent to murder but, as a juvenile, his case will be heard in Holyoke Juvenile Court which does not release information.
