A man facing felony robbery charges after another man was shot outside the Penacook Place Apartments in November was rearrested last week for repeatedly violating his bail conditions and absconding from authorities, police said.
Nicholaus Castillo, 19, previously of Hooksett, was taken into custody Friday in Nashua on unrelated charges of disobeying an officer and unsworn falsification, as well as a violation-level offense for driving after suspension. At the time of his arrest, Castillo was wanted on a warrant for failing to abide by the conditions of Merrimack County’s pretrial services program in a pending robbery case.
Castillo was previously indicted on one count each of accomplice to armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery in connection with a Nov. 24 incident in Penacook. He was out of jail under the supervision of the county’s pretrial services program while awaiting the resolution of his case. However, Assistant Merrimack County Attorney Joe Cherniske filed a motion in late July to revoke bail after pretrial services reported that Castillo had more than 10 instances of noncompliance. Court documents show that Castillo used drugs and failed to maintain daily contact with the program.
After more than a month of evading authorities, Castillo will remain in custody until a further bail hearing in Merrimack County Superior Court in Concord. A plea and sentencing to resolve the robbery charges was scheduled for Aug. 20 but did not move forward because Castillo failed to appear, Cherniske said by phone Wednesday. Whether the plea agreement will stand given recent events is unknown at this time, he said.
Castillo was one of three suspects arrested this past March, more than three months after a botched robbery in Penacook almost ended one man’s life. Devon Gilligan, 18, of Concord is facing the most serious charges in connection with the incident, including attempted murder, armed robbery and first-degree assault. Chea Chebo, 18, of Concord also faces charges of accomplice to armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery.
Police say Gilligan had communicated over social media about plans to sell four grams of marijuana for $20 outside the apartment complex but that he had no intentions of following through on the deal; instead, he planned to rob the man he knew only on Snapchat with the help of friends.
Police responded to 50 Pinehurst St., on Nov. 24 about 1:38 a.m. for a report of shots fired at a sedan. The victim, Devyn Bowe Iriana, had called 911 after driving to One Stop Mart, a convenience store about 2 miles away from the apartment complex in Penacook, police said.
Iriana, who was treated for serious injuries at Concord Hospital, initially told police the shooting was a random act of violence. He then said a friend had put him in contact with a marijuana dealer and that they had agreed to meet behind Penacook Place.
When Iriana drove around back of the apartment complex, he saw a man, whom police say was Gilligan, approach his vehicle at the same time that other men came out from the nearby tree line, Concord police Detective William Carroll testified in court in March. After Gilligan got in the passenger seat, Iriana sped off, believing he was a target.
Inside the car, Gilligan displayed a gun and demanded that Iriana empty his pockets, Carroll said. Iriana refused and then told Gilligan to get out of the car, and that is when Gilligan stepped out and quickly fired off several rounds, according to police.
Investigators said Iriana could have died that morning; police found bullet holes in the car headrest directly behind where he was seated.
The cases against Gilligan and Chebo are scheduled for trial later this year in Concord.
(Alyssa Dandrea can be reached at 369-3319 or adandrea@cmonitor.com.)