A Vineyard Haven man and an Edgartown man appeared before Edgartown District Court Judge Benjamin Barnes Friday morning on a bail hearing pursuant to charges of armed robbery, felony breaking and entering at night, larceny from a building, home invasion, and threat to commit a crime.
Matthew Medeiros, 18, of Vineyard Haven, a Martha’s Vineyard High School student, was released on personal recognizance after previously posting $200 in bail. His release was conditioned with a 7 pm to 7 am curfew, and an order to stay away from the co-defendant, 19-year-old Travis Viera of Edgartown. Viera appeared via video link from the Dukes County jail. Barnes set his bail at $200, denying a request by the commonwealth to revoke bail. Both men pleaded not guilty earlier in the day to the charges.
Medeiros and Viera were allegedly involved in the robbery of a PlayStation from a home at the Scott’s Grove affordable housing development in West Tisbury.
The two men allegedly came to one of the Scott’s Grove units looking for a juvenile, threatened the juvenile’s mother, and stole a PlayStation 4, according to a police report. The juvenile told police the two men mistook him for somebody else who may have stolen $200 worth of marijuana.
One of the men, whom West Tisbury Police Chief Matt Mincone later identified as Viera, allegedly entered the home of the juvenile and told the juvenile’s mother he was owed money. Viera allegedly told the mother if she or the juvenile, her child, didn’t pay the money owed, “he will kill” her, the juvenile, and her other child, the report states.
The mother stated that Viera “had his hands in the front pocket of his sweatshirt stating that he will shoot [the juvenile],” the report states. The mother stated that “she was extremely fearful,” and that she believed Viera “to be holding a gun inside the front pocket of his sweatshirt,” the report states. Viera then allegedly stole the PlayStation, and the mother fled to a neighbor’s home for safety.
The juvenile told police he was out walking a dog when a blue Subaru pulled into the development and drove “aggressively toward him,” the report states. The juvenile told police he ran into the woods after two men chased him. He thought one of them was Medeiros, he told police.
Edgartown Police later gave chase to the Subaru, according to Chief Mincone. The driver of the Subaru, Ryan Fisher, 22, of Oak Bluffs, allegedly fled, but the other occupants were found and identified Medeiros, Viera, and Robert McLaughlin, 22, of Oak Bluffs. Edgartown Police found a PlayStation in the Subaru, the report states.
“We’ve got a peaceful neighborhood at Scott’s Grove,” Chief Mincone said. “It was disrupted pretty badly last night.”
Mincone went on to say no gun has been recovered, but nonetheless, many West Tisbury residents have firearms licenses “for the protection of life and property,” and with that in mind, it was fortunate for all parties involved this wasn’t a “much worse situation.”
Edgartown District Court clerk magistrate Liza Williamson said warrants for the same charges Medeiros and Viera face were issued for Fisher and McLaughlin.
It is nice to see island youth place importance upon pursuing technology within the context of their recreation time. I mean why throw a ball around the park, serve meals at the Community Suppers, or tour a Land Bank property, when you can pass a joint around, while encouraging your friends on their newly acquired PlayStation 4?
Ironically, Ryan is a damned good baseball player.
This sounds more dangerous than the virus
18, 19, and 22. All adults. The military might have a few openings. No excuse to scare a mom like that.
The military wouldn’t want any of these guys.
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