Lynn man pleads innocent to armed robberies

SALEM – Bail for a Lynn man who is facing five potential life sentences, charged with robbing three Dunkin’ Donuts as well as a Starbucks in Swampscott and a Lynn drug store during a four-week crime spree to “pay his bills,” remains at $100,000.Tony Goffredo, 28, of 4 Broad St., appeared Friday in Salem Superior Court, pleading innocent to three counts of armed robbery while masked as well as armed robbery and unarmed robbery in connection with holdups in Lynn and Swampscott beginning in late October.As jointly proposed by the prosecutor and defense, Judge Robert A. Cornetta agreed to set the high bail with the option the defense may seek a bail review at another court hearing.In the meantime, Goffredo remains held at the Middleton Jail in lieu of bail.Assistant District Attorney Christina Pujals Ronan said the charges arise out of incidents between Oct. 29 and Nov. 27, the day of his arrest.Police say on Oct. 29, the suspect walked into Crown Drug Store, located at 232 Lewis St., Lynn, and demanded money, fleeing with an undetermined amount of cash.Three days later, Nov. 2, wearing a disguise and holding a gun he robbed $130 from the Dunkin’ Donuts located at 116 Lewis St. in Lynn.Two days later, Nov. 4, he returned masked again to the same Dunkin’ Donuts and stole $80 at gunpoint.Then on Nov. 22 he allegedly stole $240 in cash from Starbucks in Vinnin Square, Swampscott and in the early morning hours of Nov. 27, using a pellet gun, he again robbed the Dunkin’ Donuts on Lewis Street of $70.But this time during the holdup, brazen employees chased Goffredo and caught him following a brief struggle on Red Rock Street. They herded him back to the store where police were waiting at the scene.Goffredo apparently admitted to the five robberies and said he “did it to pay bills.”He also reportedly said he had a drug habit of 3 grams of heroin a day and took 100 mg of Valium a day as well.The case was continued by agreement to March 28 for a pretrial conference.