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Rodriguez back in jail on preventive detention

By Dean Shalhoup - Senior Staff Writer | Apr 12, 2019

NASHUA – A couple of months ago, a Superior Court judge sent Rafael Rodriguez to jail following his arrest on theft charges accusing him of stealing an estimated $30,000 to $50,000 worth of electronics and other items from at least 100 cars.

But Judge Charles Temple also told Rodriguez, 25, that he would consider amending his bail to personal recognizance if Rodriguez applied to, and entered, “an appropriate substance use disorder treatment program.”

A short time later, Rodriguez’s bail was in fact amended to PR, but, according to the proceedings at Rodriguez’s bail hearing Thursday, whatever Rodriguez did after getting out of jail allegedly didn’t include applying to drug-treatment programs.

“Not only did you unsuccessfully complete a (program), you didn’t even enroll in one,” Temple told Rodriguez. He said the court’s response to Rodriguez’s alleged failure to hold up his end of the bargain is to “put you back in preventive detention” at Valley Street jail.

Rodriguez was thus remanded to the custody of the two county sheriffs present in the courtroom, who escorted him down to the cell block to prepare him for transport to the jail.

The case is the most recent of several opened against Rodriguez, and stems from his arrest in early February on one count of receiving stolen property.

Police took him into custody Feb. 4, shortly after they were called to a south Nashua apartment complex parking lot to investigate a report that someone smashed a car window and stole a GPS unit.

After speaking with the victim of the theft, police said at the time, officers developed Rodriguez as a suspect and drove around an apartment complex to try and locate him.

On the way, they passed a car in which Rodriguez was a passenger, and although Rodriguez “ducked down” in his seat, police recognized him, according to Assistant County Attorney Brett Harpster, the prosecutor at Rodriguez’s Feb. 5 arraignment and bail hearing.

The unidentified driver of the car allegedly sped out of the parking lot, but police were able to catch up and stop the vehicle.

While the driver was arrested for fleeing, Harpster said, other officers took Rodriguez into custody. During a preliminary search, they located an iPod in his possession, which led to the receiving stolen property charge.

Rodriguez allegedly told police he bought the iPod

from a friend for $10, and allegedly admitted he knew it was stolen.

He also allegedly told police he often buys stolen merchandise “because it’s cheaper,” according to Harpster.

Police, in their reports, said while they were interviewing Rodriguez about the numerous reported thefts from cars in the area, he allegedly told them he had broken into upwards of 100 vehicles over a three-month span.

He said he allegedly committed the breaks to steal things he could pawn or otherwise sell to support his drug habit, Harpster said at the time.

Police estimated the stolen items were collecitvely worth anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000, he added.

Harpster also told the court Rodriguez’s criminal history includes numerous arrests and 15 convictions, and at the time of his February arrest was out on bail on five additional cases.

Those, he said, include allegations of burglary and possession and sale of heroin or fentanyl.

Temple, meanwhile, said he would consider personal recognizance bail on the condition Rodriguez enters drug treatment, but sentenced him to preventive detention for the time being.

It’s not clear when Rodriguez’s bail was amended to personal recognizance, or when he was released from jail.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256, dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com or @Telegraph_DeanS.

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