NASHUA – Lawyers in the case of Blake Colella, the former Nashua man facing numerous charges including allegations he carved letters into a woman’s back with a knife in 2017, have agreed that Colella be jailed and his bail revoked as his cases move forward in court.

A Superior Court judge last week ordered Colella, 36, whose last known address is in Lynn, Mass., held on preventive detention for the time being, pursuant in part to an IAD – an interstate agreement on detainers, sometimes called an inter-agency detainer – with Massachusetts, where he is facing jail time in connection with alleged crimes in that jurisdiction.

Judge Jacalyn Colburn also agreed with the attorneys that while Colella’s bail should be revoked, it will not be forfeited, and instead returned to the person or bail commissioner who initially posted the surety bond.

In August, roughly 16 months after he was charged with four felonies and one misdemeanor charge for allegedly cutting the woman with the knife, strangling her, threatening to “cave her face in” and kicking her cat across the room,

He was charged with one count of first-degree assault, a Class A felony; one count each of second-degree assault, criminal threatening, and cruelty to animals – purposeful, all Class B felonies; and one count of cruelty to animals, a Class A misdemeanor.

Roughly 16 months later, in August 2018, Colella was indicted, via secret indictment handed up by the grand jury, on one count of witness tampering – induce another, a Class B felony, according to his case file.

A secret indictment, also called a silent indictment or sealed indictment, is issued in cases where the defendant has yet to be arrested or made aware of the indictment.

Colburn stated in the dispositional conference order she issued after last week’s hearing, which was convened to hear the state’s motion to revoke Colella’s bail, that the two cases could be combined, but left open the possibility they will be tried with “separate panels.”

She also emphasized the Massachusetts assault charges Colella is also currently facing “need to be resolved early,” according to the order.

As it stands now, jury selection for Colella’s trial is scheduled for June 3, with a final pre-trial conference set for May 24.

The parties have unti April 1 to file any motions in limine, according to Colburn’s order. Trial is expected to run for at least three days, the order states.