AMHERST — A fourth man allegedly involved in a violent Amherst home invasion in October waived his right to appear in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown on Friday.
Joseph T. Barcelos, 20, of 27 Lake Drive, Belchertown, was arrested at 6:45 a.m. Thursday in South Hadley by Amherst Police detectives and troopers with the State Police’s Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section on a warrant charging him with armed robbery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, according to Amherst Police Detective Lt. William Menard.
After he made a brief appearance in court on Thursday morning, Barcelos’ case was continued until Friday to allow for a competency evaluation.
Barcelos’ attorney, Colin Keefe, waived his client’s right to appear during Friday’s brief proceedings. Barcelos is being held without right to bail pending his arraignment, which will allow time for further evaluation. He is due back in court April 10.
Assistant Northwestern District Attorney Andy Covington has filed a motion to hold Barcelos pending a dangerousness hearing.
The court file has been sealed. Both attorneys as well as Amherst police would not comment if this arrest was related to the Amherst home invasion.
Three other men were previously arrested and are facing charges in connection with the incident.
Stephanos Georgiadis, 25, of Hadley, last month pleaded not guilty in Hampshire Superior Court to charges of conspiracy to commit home invasion, conspiracy to commit armed and masked robbery, assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, three counts of armed and masked robbery, breaking and entering in the night time, and larceny from a building.
Georgiadis has been free on $10,000 bail since a February hearing in district court. He is due back in court May 25.
Also previously charged are Patrick Bemben, 25, formerly of Hadley, and John Joseph Niemiec III, 29, of Sunderland.
According to court documents, in the early morning hours of Oct. 30, Bemben and Georgiadis, armed and wearing tactical gear, allegedly ransacked a South East Street home in pursuit of drugs and valuables, police said, while Niemec served as the lookout.
Authorities say two of the home’s residents were seriously injured while the home invasion was being carried out. One received wounds to his arm from a hatchet. The other was struck in the head with a gun.
Bemben and Georgiadis allegedly ran into a wooded area behind the home where authorities recovered items typically used in marijuana production.
A large container with at least a pound of marijuana also was found, police said. After the foot pursuit Bemben was in possession of goggles, a headlamp, a tactical bulletproof vest, a hatchet, pepper spray, various knives and a baton, said prosecutors.
Bemben has been released on $35,000 cash bail and is receiving treatment at the Recovery Center of Americas in Westminster. Niemec has pleaded not guilty in district court to two charges of conspiracy and remains free after posting $5,000 bail.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
