Massachusetts Criminal Defense Attorney Blog
According to The Lowell Sun, Eric Sideri, owner of Angela’s Coal Fired Pizza in Tyngsboro Massachusetts, is being held without bail after his arraignment in Lowell District Court. Sideri is charged with kidnapping and beating up a manager, Oliveira, whom he suspected stole $20,000 from the business. According to reports, after the restaurant closed on Saturday night, Sideri cornered Oliveira beating him up with a baseball bat and a stick. Sideri allegedly stuck a large gun in the manager’s mouth and threatened to kill him if he did not answer questions about the missing money.
According to prosecutors, Oliveira claimed that he was taken to the restaurant’s back door and shown “a white SUV with its tailgate open and blue tarp covered with trash bags inside.” Sideri then allegedly told him, “I will kill you and nobody will know.”
The defendant’s attorney painted a much different picture of the events. The defendant claims that a confrontation occurred after Sideri confronted Oliveira about the missing money. Sideri claims that he acted in self-defense during the incident and that Oliveira fabricated the kidnapping and beating story to offset any charges that Sideri would file against him.
Following bail arguments by both sides District Court Judge Michael Uhlarik ordered that Sideri be held without bail. Sideri returns to the Lowell District Court on Thursday when a “dangerousness hearing” will take place.
If you have been charged with assault and battery, possession of a firearm, kidnapping or threats it is critical that you contact an experienced Massachusetts defense attorney to work on your case. Normally, the earlier that an attorney begins to work on a case, the better off you are. For example, to successfully defend against firearm offenses it is often necessary to file a motion to suppress the firearm, ammunition and any related confiscated evidence. Boston area Our Attorney routinely files motions to suppress evidence attacking the justification that the police claim they had to approach and ultimately search a defendant.
Another strategy employed to defend against any crime where the defendant is charged with “possession” of an illegal substance or weapon is to argue that the individual did not have actual or constructive possession of the item. In Massachusetts, in order for the District Attorney to obtain a conviction for this type of offense they must prove that the defendant had knowledge of the presence of the object and had the ability to exert control over the item.
If you are charged with possession of a controlled substance or possession of a firearm contact Our Attorney immediately and she will begin work on your case right away.