Somerville Man Arrested In Connection With Sat. Armed Robbery, Assault

SOMERVILLE, MA — Somerville Police have confirmed that a man has been arrested in connection with an alleged armed robbery and indecent assault Saturday at a local business.

Juan Alberto Marin, 35, of Somerville, was arrested Monday at his residence, according to the department. Boston 25 News reported that the suspect was arraigned later Tuesday in Somerville District Court.

Marin was charged with masked armed robbery, kidnapping, indecent assault and battery on a person over 14, assault to rape, battery with a dangerous weapon, and intimidation of a witness, according to Boston 25 News.

The suspect was ordered held without bail until a dangerousness hearing on Friday, the station reported.

According to television reports, police were able to locate the suspect through the Find My iPhone app because he allegedly had stolen the victim's cellular phone and still had it in his possession.

On Monday, the Somerville PD released a security-camera photo of a suspect it said was wanted in connection with Saturday's alleged crimes. Boston 25 News reported that authorities allege the photo is of Marin.

According to the Somerville PD, at approximately 10:20 a.m. Saturday, officers responded to an East Somerville business after a report of an armed robbery and indecent assault. Boston 25 News reported that the business was Tapias Convenience Store, which is located at 244 Broadway.

At the scene, Somerville police officers met with the store clerk, who told them that she initially had seen the suspect pacing back and forth outside the store and looking into the store window, police said.

Moments later, the suspect entered the store and displayed a handgun during the robbery, the victim said. The clerk said she gave the suspect an undisclosed amount of cash before the suspect fled on foot, according to the Somerville PD.

On Tuesday in court, new details about the case emerged, Boston 25 News reported.

Middlesex County Assistant District Attorney Kathryn Walker told the court that the suspect robbed the female clerk at gunpoint and then forced her down a small flight of stairs and into a back room.

Walker said the suspect then put what appeared to be a firearm to the victim's throat and ordered her to undress. But the victim refused.

The suspect then told the victim he would kill her if she didn't take her clothes off, Walker said. When the victim still refused, the suspect put the tip of what appeared to be a firearm in the victim's mouth and past her teeth, according to the assistant DA.

The station reported that the victim eventually told the suspect there was more money in the cash register, and she led the suspect upstairs.

As the victim gave the suspect more cash, the suspect grabbed the victim sexually and then threatened to kill her, before leaving, Boston 25 News reported.

The station reported that police found the suspect's hat in a nearby clothing donation bin.

However, the big break in the case came when police were able to trace the victim's smartphone back to the suspect's home, according to Boston 25 News.

The station reported that police arrested Marin as he tried to run out the back door of his residence.

A spokesperson for the Somerville PD said the investigation remains ongoing.