Accident – Death – Obituary News :

Lowell Man Arrested for Allegedly Holding Woman Hostage in Booby-Trapped Apartment

The Incident

A Lowell man, Joseph Melchionda, 28, has been apprehended by the police for allegedly kidnapping and holding a woman against her will for approximately nine hours. The incident took place in his apartment on Market Street, which was reportedly booby-trapped. The victim reported that Melchionda, armed with what appeared to be a rifle, took her cellphone and attempted to coerce her into smoking methamphetamine. The ordeal began on the night of November 9 and lasted until the early morning hours of the following day.

Police Report and Threats

The alleged victim approached the Lowell Police on November 17 to file a report stating that Melchionda had been sending her threatening text messages. She revealed that she received approximately 50 messages, including explicit threats to shoot her. The victim had initially met Melchionda on November 3 when he sought legal representation for a landlord-tenant dispute at a Woburn law firm. She is described as a lawyer currently in the process of obtaining her license to practice in Massachusetts.

The Kidnapping

The victim informed the police that she had visited Melchionda’s apartment at 200 Market St. around 7 p.m. on November 9 to gather evidence for the ongoing dispute. However, Melchionda barricaded the door, brandishing a rifle (later identified as an airsoft rifle) and refused to let her leave. The victim claimed that she witnessed him loading “small BBs” into the rifle, causing her to fear for her life. Melchionda then took her cellphone and forced her to sit in a dark living room chair while he moved her around the apartment, threatening her and insisting that the apartment was rigged with booby traps.

Escaping the Apartment

The alleged incident came to an end at 4 a.m. on November 10 when Melchionda finally allowed the victim to leave the apartment.

Mental Health Episode

On the same day the victim reported the kidnapping, police were called to Melchionda’s apartment due to his claims of receiving threatening messages on his cellphone. Upon arrival, officers noted his erratic behavior and determined that he was experiencing a mental health episode. Meanwhile, they received information from the front desk suggesting that Melchionda had been sending threats to the alleged victim.

Section 12 and Bomb Squad Investigation

Considering the alleged threats and Melchionda’s increasingly irrational behavior, the police took him into custody and transported him to a local hospital under Section 12, a legal provision that allows individuals to be involuntarily admitted for psychiatric evaluation and potential treatment. While at the hospital, Melchionda informed the police about several booby traps in his apartment. Consequently, the State Police Bomb Squad was called in to investigate and eventually cleared the apartment.

Arrest and Court Proceedings

Following the investigation and information provided by the victim, the police subsequently arrested Melchionda at the hospital. He is facing charges of assault and battery, assault with a dangerous weapon, kidnapping, and threatening to commit a crime, specifically, threatening to kill. On Monday, after being released from the hospital, Melchionda appeared in Lowell District Court for his arraignment. He was ordered to be held without bail until at least March 15 after a dangerousness hearing held on Wednesday, where Judge William Travaun Bailey deemed him a threat to the public. Melchionda is scheduled to return to court on December 14 for a pretrial hearing. His attorney, Daniel Murphy, was not available for immediate comment.

Prior Incidents with Law Enforcement

It has been revealed that Melchionda had previous encounters with law enforcement due to his erratic behavior. On November 11, the police were called to his apartment for another Section 12 incident. During this particular incident, Melchionda barricaded himself inside his apartment, leading the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council SWAT team to be called for assistance. They successfully removed Melchionda, who was then taken to a local hospital for evaluation. Authorities confiscated his airsoft gun during the incident.

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