Boston man arraigned for October attack of woman on Boylston Street

BOSTON, November 28, 2022 — A Boston man was charged today in Central BMC with attacking a woman on Boylston Street last month and smashing her cell phone before fleeing, District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.

ALBERT WILLIAMS JR., 61, is charged with unarmed robbery, assault and battery and vandalizing property.  Assistant District Attorney Emily Miller requested $1,000 bail, a stay away order from the victim and a revocation of Williams’ bail from an existing assault and battery case.  Judge Mark Summerville released Williams on personal recognizance with conditions that he complete a treatment program and stay away from the victim.  Williams will return to court February 7 for a probable cause hearing.

Miller said that shortly after midnight on October 15 Boston police responded to a call that a woman had been attacked by an unknown male as she walked on Boylston Street near Dartmouth Street.  The 21-year-old victim said the attacker grabbed her, threw her to the ground, ripped her phone from her hand and smashed it.  The victim refused medical treatment.

Police several hours later stopped a person matching the description provided by the 911 caller.  The person, later identified as Williams, denied being involved in the attack.  Subsequent investigation of video surveillance led police to confirm that Williams was the attacker, and they secured a warrant for his arrest. 

Williams has a lengthy record, including the open Central BMC case, dating back to 1992 and including convictions, House of Correction sentences, violations of probation, and many instances of like and similar offenses.

“This is the type of offense that affects a victim for a lengthy period of time and impacts both the reality and perception of safety in our neighborhoods.  It’s fortunate that the victim in this case did not sustain serious injury,” Hayden said,

James Borghesani, Chief of Communications