BOSTON, Jan. 8, 2014—Two Dorchester men arraigned today on charges they robbed a Roxbury market of cash and cigarettes while carrying replica firearms the victim believed to be real, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.
LIQUARRY JEFFERSON (D.O.B. 2/8/80) and JAMES THORNTON (D.O.B. 3/6/73) were arraigned in Roxbury District Court for the Tuesday evening incident. Jefferson is charged with armed robbery while masked, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, failure to stop for police, and operating with a suspended license. He was additionally cited for possessing less than an ounce of marijuana. Thornton is charged with armed robbery while masked and resisting arrest.
Assistant District Attorney Joseph Roseme requested that bail for each defendant be set at $500,000. Judge David Poole imposed $25,000 bail for Jefferson and ordered that he wear a GPS monitoring device, abide by a curfew, stay away from the victim and witnesses, and stay away from the location of the incident if he is released on bail. Poole set Thornton’s bail at $15,000 with similar conditions if released.
According to prosecutors, Boston Police received a call shortly after 6:00 p.m. yesterday for an armed robbery in progress at the Warren Food Mart.
The witness provided the two suspects’ clothing description, which was broadcast to officers. An officer arriving on scene spotted two men matching the description – later identified as Jefferson and Thornton – as they exited the market.
When ordered by police not to move, Jefferson and Thornton allegedly ran. As they fled, they discarded an item that was later found to be the drawer of a cash register in the rear of a Warren Street address, prosecutors said.
The foot chase led to Tupelo Street, where the men entered a silver 2004 Toyota Corolla and took off with Jefferson behind the wheel, prosecutors said. Additional officers quickly spotted the vehicle and pursued it with their cruisers’ lights and sirens activated.
The pursuit ended when Jefferson crashed into a parked vehicle at the intersection of Maple and Schuyler streets, prosecutors said. Both defendants exited the car and attempted to flee on foot.
Thornton was apprehended as he attempted to jump over a fence. Officers stopped Jefferson on Wayne Street, noting that he fit the suspect description, appeared to be nervous and breathing heavily, and had money sticking out of his coat pockets, prosecutors said. Officers had to bring Jefferson to the ground to take him into custody.
A witness presented officers at the market with a gun found inside the store. Police took possession of the gun and later determined that it was a replica firearm. The man told police that he was inside the store when the two masked men entered and told him not to move.
The clerk who was behind the counter at the time of the hold-up told police that one of the masked men was armed with a gun and forced his way behind the counter, where the man emptied two cash registers of approximately $200 to $300. When he was unable to gain entry to a safe, the man took nine packs of Newport cigarettes and a cash register drawer, the clerk told police. The second man stood guard at the door as this was happening, and the two then ran out the door.
Police discovered a second replica firearm along the path of the foot pursuit. Massachusetts law allows an offender to be charged with armed robbery if the victim believes him to be armed, but a handgun must be capable of firing bullets for the defendant to be charged with unlawful possession of a firearm.
Approximately $300 and a small bag of marijuana were found on Jefferson. He received a civil citation for the marijuana. At the time of his arrest, he had recently completed a three-year prison sentence following a 2010 Suffolk Superior Court conviction for assault with a dangerous weapon.
Jefferson is represented by Sandra Odiaga. Thornton is represented by June Jensen. Both defendants will return to court on Feb. 5.
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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
