Dorchester 19-year-old charged as one of group that beat, robbed a man in Boston

BOSTON, June 2, 2022— Prosecutors on Wednesday arraigned a 19-year-old Dorchester man they said was a member of a group that pursued and beat a man on Lenox Street in Boston before robbing him of an iPhone, cash, a diamond ring and his sneakers, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced today.

ADORNOUS HAZELWOOD, 19, was charged in Boston Municipal Court Central with one count of unarmed robbery. Judge Joseph Griffin ordered Hazelwood held on $5,000 bail and revoked his bail from an ongoing case.  Griffin also agreed to Assistant district Attorney Michael Devin’s request that Hazelwood stay away from the victim and stay away from Lenox Street.

Other members of the group have been arrested and are expected to be arraigned soon.

Video footage from May 23 at about 2:30 p.m. shows Hazelwood and five other males pursue the victim, 22, into an elevator foyer of a Lenox Street building. They then violently assaulted him, punched him in the face, held him against the wall and punched him repeatedly. One of the males kicked the victim before the group stole several items from him, including a black iPhone 12, $200 cash, his house keys, his sneakers and a diamond ring.

A Boston Police officer identified Hazelwood after law enforcement distributed a still from the video. Detectives discovered a social media video post of Hazelwood mocking the victim and showing some of the victim's stolen belongings.

“This was not just a terrible assault.  It was a brutal invasion of a person’s right to a peaceful existence.  This is not something easy to move beyond, and my office will do everything possible to help this young victim as he recovers,” Hayden said.

Hazelwood returns to court on June 21. He is represented by Susan Neff.

 James Borghesani, Chief of Communications

All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal legal system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.