Police

Robbery suspect held on $25k bail

MONWELL WRIGHT MUG SHOT
MONWELL WRIGHT MUG SHOT

The 20-year-old man accused of beating another man with a rock while an accomplice held the victim at gunpoint in Polish Town Friday morning was held on $25,000 bail after his arraignment in Riverhead Town court.

Monwell Wright was charged with two counts of felony attempted robbery, one count of felony assault and one count of misdemeanor criminal possession of a controlled substance before Judge Allen Smith Sunday morning.

Authorities said Mr. Wright attacked the victim — identified by police as 26-year-old Ervin Guzman — while Mr. Guzman was walking on Sweezy Avenue about 6:15 a.m. Friday.

Mr. Wright and a woman approached the victim near the intersection of Pulaski Street, according to a report. While the woman pointed a handgun at Mr. Guzman, Mr. Wright reportedly hit Mr. Guzman over the head, face and shoulder with a large rock, sending him to the ground.

Throughout the assault, Mr. Wright demanded the victim give him cash, according to a police statement.

Judge Smith said Mr. Guzman had to get six stitches to close up a wound on his face, and said the right side of his head was fractured in the assault.

A vehicle drove by during the assault and Mr. Wright and the woman fled without any of the victim’s money, authorities said.

After a police investigation, Mr. Wright was arrested about 2:10 p.m. Saturday afternoon. Mr. Wright was carrying a Desert Eagle airsoft pistol and two prescription medicines designed to treat opioid addiction at the time of his arrest, according to a police report. He was taken to police headquarters without incident, police said.

Mr. Wright, wearing a set of white painters coveralls, told the court he worked at a scrap metal company and did landscaping work. He already had an attorney due to a previous arrest about three weeks ago.

Mr. Wright was taken into custody earlier this month after police said he stole a parked car at a deli on Osborn Avenue in late December.

The owner of a Ford F-250 pickup truck told police on Dec. 28 that he went into Express Deli and came out to find his vehicle stolen, according to a police statement. The car was later found and recovered.

Detectives caught Mr. Wright and arrested him on a felony charge of criminal possession of stolen property in the third degree, police said.

He was originally held on $500 bail, but Mr. Wright was released from jail on his own recognizance Jan. 10, county jail officials said.

Riverhead police Detective Frank Hernandez said the department is still investigating a second attempted robbery that occurred nearby less than 24 hours later and said they are looking into whether Mr. Wright may have been involved.

Mr. Wright is due back in court on Monday morning and was served a grand jury notice indicating he will face additional charges.

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