Armed Robbery Suspect Held on $20K Cash Bail

A Portsmouth man who police say committed two armed robberies last winter was ordered held on $20,000 cash bail on Friday in Hampton District Court.

David Wilson, 27, had a video arraignment from the Rockingham County Jail for two armed robbery charges and a receiving stolen property charge after he waived his extradition and was transported from the Kennebec County Jail in August, Maine, on Thursday by Portsmouth Police.

Portsmouth Police Prosecutor Rena DiLando said Wilson was on probation and parole in Maine when he allegedly committed the Jan. 29 armed robbery at the former Tedeschi Food Market on Islington Street and then a second armed robbery on Feb. 3. at the Vaughn Mall where he assaulted a female victim with a pellet gun by striking her with it repeatedly until it broke.

DiLando said the Tedeschi Foods armed robbery "has been confirmed with DNA evidence."

She said the Vaughn Mall armed robbery was confirmed by police when they pieced together the pellet gun involved with that crime and determined it belonged to Wilson.

According to police, the first armed robbery charge stems from an incident on Jan. 29 at 5:15 p.m., where a male suspect entered the Tedeschi Food Shop on Islington Street armed with what appeared to be a handgun and demanded money from the cashier. The man then fled the store with an undisclosed amount of cash.

The second armed robbery charge and the robbery charge stem from an incident that occurred several days later, on Feb. 1 at 8:20 p.m., in the Worth Parking Lot in downtown Portsmouth. A female victim was reportedly approached by a male suspect who assaulted her and forcibly removed her purse. During the struggle, the suspect struck the woman multiple times in the head and then fled on foot. It was later determined that the victim had been struck with a pellet gun.

DiLando also said Wilson served two years in Maine State Prison for robbery from 2006 to 2007 and has an extensive criminal record that includes several theft, burglary and criminal threatening charges. She also said Wilson was in Portsmouth Circuit Court in March for a drug possession charge after he allegedly committed the two armed robberies.

DiLando said Wilson also moved to New Hampshire to Maine in 2011, but never told the Maine Department of Corrections probation officer. She said the cash bail was very appropriate to ensure public safety and to make sure Wilson appears in court as scheduled.

At one point during Friday morning's hearing, Wilson addressed the court. "I have a seven-year-old daughter in Maine and she was in an accident. She is at the Barbara Bush Children's Center (at Maine Medical Center in Portland)," he said.

Judge David Cappiello ordered Wilson held on $20,000 cash bail and scheduled a probable cause hearing for Oct. 3 at 8:30 a.m. in Portsmouth Circuit Court.