Borough men charged in Salem Street armed robbery

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Christian Borg

WATERBURY — Two Naugatuck men are facing burglary and robbery charges after another man told police they stole $3,000 from him after luring him to a home on Salem Street, according to court documents.

Last Friday, Salem Elementary School, Hillside Intermediate School and the Salem Lutheran Day Care Center were locked down as officers responded to a 911 call from Efrain Velez, who told a dispatcher he had been robbed at gunpoint by two men while he was inside a house on Salem Street.

Police on Saturday arrested Christian Borg, 20, of 147 Andrew Ave., and Ryan Ferraiolo, 20, of 25 Highland Ave., and charged them with robbery in the first degree, conspiracy to commit robbery in the first degree, burglary in the first degree, conspiracy to commit burglary in the first degree, larceny in the sixth degree, conspiracy to commit larceny in the sixth degree, assault in the third degree and conspiracy to commit assault in the third degree.

Velez told police he went to the home with a man he identified as Richard King to buy a motorcycle. Police later identified King as Richard Silva.

Silva told police he was at a local market with his girlfriend when he saw a man he knew as “John” riding a sport motorcycle. The rider told Silva the bike was for sale, so Silva arranged for Velez to meet him on Friday, according to statements given to police.

Velez told police that when he arrived at the Salem Street home on Friday, “John” let them inside, where another man was watching television.

Velez told police that soon after he got there, “John” went to another room and came back with a pump-action shotgun and pointed the gun at his head.

Velez told police that when he tried to get away, he was punched in the head and choked. The man with the gun told him to empty his pockets and wound up stealing $3,000 he had brought for the motorcycle, Velez told police.

Silva told police his arms were pinned and his face buried in a couch cushion by the man who had been watching television.

Lt. Robert Harrison, a Naugatuck police spokesman, said Velez identified Ferraiolo as the man who pointed a shotgun at him, while Silva said Borg put him in a choke hold. Naugatuck police said they found a loaded shotgun in Borg’s home, which they believe was used in the robbery.

Velez told police the armed man released him, then let Silva leave the home a short while later.

But there are several peculiar pieces of information in Borg’s arrest warrant.

A detective talked with the man who leased the home at 27 Salem St., where the robbery allegedly occurred, who told police he had been away during the stickup, and hadn’t allowed anyone in his home.

Police recovered call records from Silva’s cell phone, showing someone using Ferraiolo’s phone called Silva’s phone 15 times on the day of the robbery. Those same records also show Silva’s phone dialing Ferraiolo’s number 13 times.

The records also indicate Silva’s phone was used to call Borg’s half brother, Douglas Labonte, twice on the day of the robbery.

Harrison said the robbery is still under investigation and police have said there could be additional arrests.

Borg was arraigned Monday in Waterbury Superior Court and was released on a $125,000 bond, while Ferraiolo was held on a $200,000 bond.

Both men are expected back in court on April 27.