AUGUSTA — A 19-year-old Waterville man is charged with robbing another man Monday afternoon at an Elm Street apartment in Waterville.
Dylan L. Austin was arrested in Augusta later that day and was seen Wednesday at the Capital Judicial Center via video from the Kennebec County jail.
Judge Cynthia Montgomery set bail at $10,000, as requested by the state, with conditions forbidding Austin to have dangerous weapons, to return to Elm Street in Waterville, and to have contact with the victim and witnesses.
The robbery charge carries a maximum imprisonment of 30 years.
The 23-year-old victim was held up at gunpoint by a robber wearing motorcycle gloves with armored knuckles, according to an affidavit filed at court and written by Waterville police Officer Robert Bouley II.
The victim told Bouley that he pulled down the off-white bandanna and recognized Austin. The victim also said that Austin grabbed the cardboard box where he kept the rent money.
The victim said was awakened by someone knocking on his door and saying it was the police. He said he opened it and found a man pointing a black handgun at him.
“He stated that Dylan then grabbed him by his shirt and pushed back into the apartment and into his bedroom,” Bouley wrote.
The victim also said that once he recognized the man, Austin repeated, “Wanna try me? I will shoot you.”
Bouley said police located Austin because of a previous incident in which the victim was threatened, and that several of Austin’s acquaintances said they drove Austin and his girlfriend to Waterville in exchange for $100 in cash. Austin told the two he intended to rob someone and later texted a photo of the money stolen, Bouley wrote. Police confiscated the fare.
The motorcycle gloves were found in the Augusta apartment where Austin had stayed the previous night, according to the affidavit.
On Wednesday, attorney Elizabeth Gray, acting as lawyer of the day, suggested that Austin be permitted to be released on bail with a Maine Pretrial Services supervision contract calling for electronic monitoring in the form of an ankle bracelet.
“He believes he can make the $240 per month payment” for the monitoring, she said.
Montgomery rejected that, saying “Given the nature of the allegations, I am concerned about the threat to the community.”
The prosecutor, Assistant District Attorney Carie James, said the risk is too high. “The state comes from a position that $10,000 cash is fair,” she said.
Austin was convicted in early October of theft by unauthorized use of property and operating vehicle without license, both of which occurred March 2 in Waterville, and sentenced to 14 days in jail, according to court records.
Betty Adams — 621-5631
Twitter: @betadams
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