BOSTON, Nov. 6, 2014—Two men accused of robbing a downtown fast food restaurant and beating its employees were held on $100,000 cash bail each following their arraignment in the Boston Municipal Court, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

MASON McKOY (D.O.B. 4/19/87) and ANDRE NESBETH (D.O.B. 11/10/87), both of Dorchester, were charged this afternoon with armed robbery while masked, kidnapping, and assault and battery for the incident just after midnight at the McDonald’s on Tremont Street. Judge Michael Coyne ordered both men to return to court on Dec. 4.

The two were arrested after a witness reported to Boston Police that she had seen one man attack another man at the restaurant’s doorway, and that both men appeared to be inside. Responding officers tried the door, but it was locked.

As he peered inside, one officer saw a person crouched on the floor, crawling from the back of the restaurant to the cash register. This person poked his head up to see who was knocking at the door, then crawled back to the rear of the restaurant. His face was covered by a piece of clothing.

The officer called for additional Boston Police units, some of whom responded to the restaurant’s back door. There, an officer encountered one man who turned and ran. The officer gave chase and caught up with that man and a second man. Both were sweating profusely and out of breath. The officer spotted a pair of gloves nearby, which one suspect claimed as his own because he was “looking for cans in the trash.” The officer detained both men at the scene until additional officers made contact with restaurant employees.

Three employees told officers that they had been closing up for the night when the assailants – later identified as McKoy and Nesbeth – forced their way in, pointed a firearm at them, and tied them up. They described clothing and gloves that matched those worn by the two men detained in the rear of the restaurant. Officers took McKoy and Nesbeth into custody.

Officers recovered a firearm just outside the rear of the restaurant, near where the two suspects were detained. It was tested and revealed to be a replica firearm. Under Massachusetts law, however, a person using such a replica may be charged with and convicted of armed robbery if the victim believes it to be real.

The defendants were represented by attorneys Kevin Mullen and Thomas McCarthy.

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