2 Dorchester men and juvenile arrested for string of armed robberies

BOSTON — Two Dorchester men and a third man who was a juvenile at the time are facing charges for up to five armed robberies in the Boston area. But federal court documents suggest the actual number of armed robberies in eastern Massachusetts could total as many as 32.

Suffolk County DA Rachael Rollins has announced the arrests of 20-year-old Nelson Pires and 21-year-old Alex Rodrigues, both of Dorchester, for allegedly robbing several Boston area businesses at gunpoint in 2020. A third man, 18-year-old Vagner Barbosa, is charged as a youthful offender because he was 17 at the time of the incidents.

According to federal court documents, the spree began on July 25, 2020, when two masked men hit the Great Wok Restaurant, a Chinese food takeout place on Mass. Ave. in Dorchester. The two suspects were armed with guns, and, police say, one of them fired his weapon inside the restaurant.

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Weeks later, on August 11, the two suspects hit the Great Wok again. This time they allegedly stole $1,200.00. And, like the previous armed robbery, one of the suspects fired his weapon inside the restaurant.

According to federal court documents, over the next several months, the same MO, including the same suspects, was used in more than two dozen armed robberies in Boston, Brockton, New Bedford, Quincy, Fall River and Easton.

During the investigation, investigators requested and were granted cell phone tower records from the areas near the armed robberies.

In Boston Police incident reports obtained by Boston 25 News, the three suspects allegedly worked together and used a getaway car in the armed robberies. All three are held on bail.

Pires and Rodrigues are due back in Suffolk County Superior Court on July 30 for status hearings.

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