BOSTON, March 24, 2014— A Mattapan man was arraigned yesterday for robbing a stranger at knifepoint after allegedly demanding the victim help him find a prostitute, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

JEAN-MARIE EL-SAIEH (D.O.B. 5/26/61) was arraigned yesterday in Dorchester District Court on a charge of armed robbery.  Judge James Coffey ordered El-Saieh to undergo evaluation at Bridgewater State Hospital.  Prosecutors reserved the right to argue for bail during his next court appearance.

Assistant District Attorney Caitlin Kelly told the court that Boston Police officers responded to a radio call for an armed robbery on Blue Hill Avenue at approximately 5:30 p.m. Saturday.  While en route, officers were informed that the suspect was armed with a large knife and that the victim had followed him to the area Norfolk and Morton streets.

As officers approached the area, the 47-year-old victim flagged them down and pointed out a man on Babson Street as the person who robbed him.  Officers pulled up alongside the man, later identified as El-Saieh, who allegedly began to run toward Norfolk Street.  Officers observed a slim, metal object in his hand as he fled.

Additional officers arrived on scene and took El-Saieh into custody. The metal object he was carrying was found to be a lighter, but a 12-inch kitchen knife was discovered inside his right sleeve, prosecutors said.

In an interview, the victim told police that he was collecting bottles and cans alongside Blue Hill Avenue when El-Saieh approached him with a large knife and demanded the victim either find him a prostitute or hand over all his money.  When informed that the victim did not know any prostitutes, El-Saieh took approximately $100 in cash from him, prosecutors said.

El-Saieh was represented by attorney Anne Rousseve.  He will return to court April 11.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.