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    Friday, April 26, 2024

    Police: Backpage.com solicitation led to Norwich home invasion

    Norwich — A fifth and final person has been arrested in connection with a January home invasion that occurred after a man sought sexual services via Backpage.com, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

    Danielle L. Dubicki, 34, of Griswold was charged Tuesday with home invasion, conspiracy to commit home invasion, first-degree robbery, fifth-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery for her alleged role in the crime.

    According to the affidavit, the victim on the evening of Jan. 8 used Backpage.com to solicit the services of a female escort, whom police later identified as Alicia Walsh, 31. The victim in October 2016 had met up with Walsh and given her money to get him drugs, but she left and never came back, the affidavit states. Because of that, Walsh and Dubicki decided Dubicki should go inside the apartment at 63 Washington St.

    From multiple interviews with those involved, Det. Kevin Wilbur, who wrote the affidavit, gleaned that Dubicki, Walsh and a man named Frank J. Harris, 47, had decided to rob the victim before sending Dubicki inside. Harris, the affidavit states, drove the trio to the victim’s home.

    While inside, Dubicki kept in touch with the pair in the car via Walsh’s cellphone, which she had on her person. At one point, Dubicki allegedly informed her acquaintances that the victim had more than just the $50 he had agreed to pay for her services. Harris then drove away to pick up two more men, according to the affidavit.

    He allegedly came back with men police later identified as Jamal Young, 30, and Jhamal Gallimore, 24.

    According to the affidavit, the victim told police he additionally had paid $60 for Dubicki to get him some cocaine. When Young and Gallimore came to his door, he let them in because he thought they were the dealers.

    The victim told officers that he went to the bathroom and returned to his kitchen to find Dubicki ducking out of the apartment and the two men facing away from him, the affidavit states.

    Masked, the pair approached and assaulted him, at one point striking him in the back of the head with a hard object, the victim told police. According to the affidavit, the victim while fighting back managed to pull the mask off one of the men. That man had a revolver pointed at him, the victim told police.

    According to the victim’s statement to police, the men stole his cellphone and threatened to kill him if he called police. They then left his apartment and got into the SUV that Harris was driving, the affidavit states. Dubicki and Walsh told police the group drove to Norwich after the incident to purchase crack cocaine and heroin.

    Police upon arrival said they found several splashes and pools of blood in and around the kitchen. The victim, who was alert, had two lacerations on the back of his head and was holding a cloth to them in an attempt to control the bleeding. American Ambulance took him to The William W. Backus Hospital.

    From a conversation with the victim, police learned what number he had called to arrange the meeting. According to the affidavit, the number belonged to Walsh. Police also collected records from Harris’ cellphone and evidence from the SUV he was driving during their investigation.

    Harris, arrested June 6, is facing charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit home invasion and conspiracy to commit fifth-degree larceny.

    Harris, whose criminal history dates back to 1989, was accused in 2014 of directing three younger men to commit armed home invasions in Montville and Ledyard in 2011. Court records show he was charged with conspiracy to commit third-degree larceny in connection with the cases and served one year in jail.

    He remains in custody on a $200,000 bond and is next due in New London Superior Court on Aug. 17.

    Young, arrested May 18, and Gallimore, arrested May 12, are facing charges of first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, home invasion, conspiracy to commit home invasion and fifth-degree larceny.

    Gallimore, held on a $150,000 bond, is next due in court on July 25. Held on a $100,000 bond, Young’s next appearance is slated for Aug. 3.

    Arrested June 19, Walsh’s charges are conspiracy to commit home invasion, accessory to home invasion, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, accessory to first-degree robbery, fifth-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit fifth-degree larceny.

    She remains in custody on a $100,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court July 24.

    Dubicki, held on $150,000, is next slated to be in court Aug. 7.

    l.boyle@theday.com

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