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DA: Mattapan teen charged with armed robbery after sting set up by victim's brother over Facebook

A Woburn man and his teen brother found themselves being held up at knifepoint in an alley when they traveled to Mattapan last week to meet with a man they thought wanted to sell him a phone, in a deal they'd brokered on Facebook.

Police responding to their 911 call were unable to find the suspects. But then, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports, police learned the main suspect had made a similar phone offer to the brother on Facebook.

The brother arranged with the man to meet in the same alley off River Street, only this time, an undercover Boston detective went in his place.

Jordan Searcy, 18, was arraigned on Tuesday on charges of armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, and conspiracy in Dorchester District Court. Judge Jonathan Tynes set bail at $1,000 and ordered that Searcy wear a GPS monitor, stay away from the victims and abide by a curfew if he makes bail.

The DA's office provided this account:

Prosecutors say a 20-year-old Woburn man posted to Facebook last week that he was looking to buy a cell phone. A person believed to be Searcy but using a profile with a different name replied to that post and represented that he would sell him a phone for $300. They agreed to meet on the night of Feb. 16 in an alley off of River Street in Mattapan. Instead of bringing a phone, however, Searcy and another man pulled knives and robbed the victim and his 18-year-old brother of $275. The victims called Boston Police, who canvassed the area but were unable to locate the suspects.

On Monday, Boston Police detectives learned that the victim’s younger brother had made a similar Facebook post seeking a phone and was contacted by the same individual who had robbed the 20-year-old victim. The two arranged a meeting in the same Mattapan alleyway, but this time a Boston Police detective stood in for the prospective buyer.

As the victim sat with police inside a cruiser, Searcy and the second individual were seen approaching the alleyway. The victim positively identified Searcy as the man who had robbed him a week prior, prosecutors said.

The DA's office continues that police descended on the scene and the two suspects fled. Searcy ran into a nearby building and apparently changed clothes, but was still nabbed. The second suspect, however, eluded police, the DA's office says.

Innocent, etc.

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Comments

Oh yeah, I'll sell you a phone. Just meet me in this dark alley in Mattapan. Come alone and bring cash.

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That's just ... wow.

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Perhaps the two brothers might have the same last name or be on each other's friend list. Dumb criminals didn't even seem to check.

Unless the two bad guys were armed with nail clippers, $1,000 is little bail for ARMED robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, and conspiracy. Guys charged with slapping a girlfriend back get 10x that bail.

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of dumb here.

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On both sides of the equation.

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