Teen boys arrested for threatening girls

PEABODY – Two teenage boys are in serious trouble after they allegedly threatened three girls with a knife on King Street and ordered them to perform sexual acts, police said.Maxwell L. Consoli, 18, of 51 Bartholomew St., Peabody, was arrested Tuesday and charged with assault with intent to rape, assault with a dangerous weapon and accosting or annoying a person of the opposite sex.John Russo, 17, of 58 Cabot St. #202, Beverly, was also arrested and charged with accosting or annoying a person of the opposite sex.Police say the group of teens discovered Consoli owned a six-inch hunting knife when they were hanging out at the South Memorial School playground on Monday night.The girls of the group got spooked and left the area after Consoli allegedly held the knife against one girl’s throat before asking, “Do you want to know how this works?” according to a police report obtained from Peabody District Court.On Tuesday night, the girls said they walked down King Street after leaving Farnham Park when Russo called one girl’s cell phone three times asking where they had been.Even though the girls said they didn’t want to hang out with the boys, Russo allegedly said he and his friends were following them.It was during the third phone call when Russo allegedly told the girls, according to a police report, “Consoli said if you don’t come with us and (perform a sexual act) then we’re going to slit your (expletive) throats.”A few minutes later, Consoli, along with Russo and another boy, drove up to the girls on King Street in Consoli’s Ford Thunderbird, police said. Consoli allegedly yelled at the girls to get into his car.Police say the girls were scared and ran through backyards and hid in bushes to get away.After contacting police, detectives had the girls arrange to meet the suspects at the skateboarding park on Perkins Street around 8 p.m. As Consoli’s vehicle approached, marked Peabody police cars stopped it.Both Consoli and Russo were taken into custody but a third teenage boy was not charged.Consoli was held at the police station on $200 bail, which he posted that night.The suspects were arraigned Wednesday in Peabody District Court and released on personal recognizance. They are both due back in court Dec. 3 for a pre-trial hearing.