AUBURN — A judge ordered $50,000 cash bail Wednesday for a Boston man charged in a Minot home robbery two months ago.
Ishmael Douglas, 27, appeared in Androscoggin County Superior Court wearing a blue jail suit, his ankles shackled.
His attorney, Allan Lobozzo, was seeking to reduce his client’s bail to $1,000. He said Douglas had local ties; his girlfriend was in the courtroom to show her support.
Deputy District Attorney Andrew Robinson argued for $50,000 cash bail.
Lobozzo said the state’s case against Douglas seemed weak. According to a police affidavit, the faces of the three men who committed the home invasion on Aug. 2 were “almost entirely” covered by the dark hoodies they wore, Lobozzo said.
Douglas wasn’t identified until a month after the incident, Lobozzo said. When he was identified, it was by the woman police believe drove the getaway car, whose residence contained contraband from the robbery, he said. One of the victims also later identified Douglas.
Police arrested Douglas this past weekend and charged him with robbery and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Douglas was the third person arrested in the robbery at a home on Garfield Road in Minot.
Police said a dispatcher got a 911 call at about 11 p.m. Aug. 2. The caller said there were several robbers inside the home who were armed with guns and holding people hostage.
Cyril Anduze of Auburn and Jamel Horrobin of New York City suffered minor injuries during the robbery and were treated at the scene. The home’s owner, Ross Tardif, was not there at the time of the robbery, police said.
Police recovered drugs, money and firearms from the home. They arrested Victor Lara, 30, of Augusta and Kourtney Williams, 24, of Boston on charges of robbery and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. They were taken to Androscoggin County Jail in Auburn.
A fourth person, who police believe drove to and from the robbery, was interviewed. Police said they are likely to charge that person.
Police believe the robbers knew there were drugs in the home.
Given the “relatively weak case” against Douglas, Lobozzo told Active-Retired Justice Carl Bradford that his client was unlikely to flee the jurisdiction.
Robinson said the woman who eventually identified Douglas told police she was afraid initially to name him.
cwilliams@sunjournal.com
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