Reading man charged in robbery
Reading man accused of pistol-whipping.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Police in Reading have arrested a 19-year-old man from the city in connection with a violent robbery that took place after a meeting at a convenience store. Justin Y. Rivera, a resident of the 400 block of West Oley Street, was taken into custody and charged with robbery, aggravated assault, receiving stolen property, and other related offences.
Meeting Turned Violent
The incident occurred after the victim, who sells used electronics online, was contacted by Rivera via text message. Rivera claimed to have several Apple iPads for sale, which the victim was interested in purchasing for resale. The two agreed to meet at a convenience store on West Douglass Street, with the victim being told to look out for a Ford Fusion.
Upon arriving at the designated location, the victim approached a Ford Fusion in the store’s parking lot. However, things quickly took a violent turn when one of the occupants tried to pull him into the vehicle. The victim resisted, leading to him being struck on the head with a pistol by Rivera, while another individual also assaulted him with a different gun.
Police Investigation
Following the incident, investigators were able to track Rivera’s movements through his cellphone data and license plate reader information. This evidence placed him in the vicinity of the crime scene at the time of the robbery. Additionally, surveillance footage captured his Ford Fusion in the area shortly before the attack.
Criminal Investigator Charles Federico filed charges against Rivera on Tuesday, leading to his arraignment in Reading Central Court. However, the identities of the other individuals involved in the robbery remain unknown at this time.
Legal Consequences
As a result of the charges brought against him, Rivera has been remanded to Berks County Prison with bail set at $150,000. The severity of the crimes he is accused of, including aggravated assault and robbery, highlight the violent nature of the incident.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the case in an effort to bring all those responsible for the robbery and assault to justice. Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to contact the Reading Police Department.
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Reading man charged in setup robbery pistol-whipping
Reading man robbery pistol-whipping charges.
