Lynn pair charged with armed home invasion, robbery; bail set at $50G, $25G

LYNN – A judge ordered $25,000 and $50,000 cash bail, respectively, for two city men police say went into a friend’s home with a shotgun, and woke up and robbed the friend of cash and six pairs of Air Jordans.”The victim stated that neither suspect attempted to conceal their identity during this event,” Lynn Police Officer Ralph Sirois Jr. wrote in a report. “The victim stated that the two suspects tore apart his closet and removed his cell phone, six pairs of Air Jordan sneakers as well as $3,800 in cash.”Police said they also recovered a gun when the men were arrested after fleeing from officers.Fard Muhammed, 24, of 2 Ashton Terrace #2, was arrested on a warrant for home invasion and armed robbery. Fard was also charged with disorderly conduct; trespassing; and resisting arrest; on a new case stemming from his arrest.Alexander Rentas, 22, of 129 Allen Ave. #2, was arrested on a warrant for home invasion; and armed robbery. Rentas was also charged with carrying ammunition without a firearms identification card (FID); disorderly conduct; resisting arrest, carrying a firearm without an FID; a felon in possession of a firearm; trespassing; and carrying a firearm with a defaced serial number; according to court documents.The men were arraigned on the charges last Thursday in Lynn District Court where pleas of not guilty were entered on each defendant’s behalf.Police responded to a report of a past home invasion on Allen Avenue on the morning of Oct. 17, according to court documents.Police said the alleged victim told officers that at approximately 4 a.m., two men whom he knew as Alex Rentas and a “Farad” came into the house, walked upstairs to the victim’s bedroom and assaulted him with a shotgun. The suspects allegedly took turns holding the gun while rummaging for valuables and then leaving the building.A female witness told officers she saw the suspects leaving the home after she was awoken, according to police.Police said the alleged victim’s mother – who also knew the suspects – called police after her son told her what happened.The alleged victim, witness and mother each identified Muhammed through a photo array, according to police.Police patrolling Chatham Street Nov. 13 recognized Rentas and Muhammed, who allegedly took off running when approached.Both men were apprehended, and police recovered a gun from Rentas, according to a report by Lynn Police Officer Gary Hagerty.Essex Assistant District Attorney Mark Byron requested at the arraignment last Thursday that both men be held pending a dangerousness hearing.Judge Stacey Fortes noted each defendant had defaulted on Superior Court cases: Rentas on a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon; and Muhammed on a charge of discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building.Court-appointed Defense Attorney Benjamin Richard questioned the suspect identification, noting there was no photo array concerning his client, Rentas. Richard also noted the Commonwealth was relying only on testimony from witnesses “woken from a deep sleep and perhaps very scared.” Richard also said police never saw Rentas carrying a gun but recovered the weapon from a yard where Rentas had been allegedly hiding.Fard’s court-appointed attorney William O’Shea said his client “vehemently denies the allegations concerning the home invasion.”Fortes ordered each defendant held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for Wednesday.Byron withdrew the request for a dangerousness hearing Wednesday because a victim and witness did not respond to a summons to appear in court, according to a spokesperson from Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett’s office.Fortes ordered Muhammed held on $50,000 cash and Rentas held on $25,000 cash, according to court documents.Both are scheduled to return to court Dec. 13.