Salem Police Arrest Two Men for Assault, Robbery Following Attempted Drug Deal

 

SALEM — Deputy Chief Joel Dolan reports that the Salem Police Department arrested two Sandown men yesterday after they allegedly attacked and robbed another man during an attempted drug deal.

DOMENIC VITELLO, 19, OF SANDOWN, has been charged with:

  • Robbery
  • Second Degree Assault

TYLER CAHILL, 18, OF SANDOWN, has been charged with Robbery.

At approximately 5:35 p.m. on Wednesday, police responded to a report of an assault in the parking lot of the McDonald’s restaurant on South Broadway.

Upon arrival, police came upon a 22-year-old Salem man claiming he was attacked while trying to sell an Xbox gaming system. The man gave police a description of two male suspects believed to be in their early twenties, and described the vehicle they drove away in as a tan Buick.

Later in their investigation, police learned the victim, instead of selling an Xbox gaming system, allegedly had been attempting to purchase several marijuana cartridges. After paying in cash for the drugs, however, the suspects allegedly displayed a firearm, punched and choked the man into unconsciousness before fleeing the scene in their vehicle.

At approximately 5:45 p.m. police came upon a vehicle matching the victim’s description on Lawrence Road. The occupants, VITELLO and CAHILL, also matched the victim’s description of the suspects.

Police performed a motor vehicle stop due, after which VITELLO and CAHILL were arrested after being positively identified as the suspects involved. Both men were held overnight in the Rockingham County Jail, and were scheduled to be arraigned at Rockingham County Superior Court today, Aug. 29, at 1 p.m.

These are allegations. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

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