Waltham Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Carjacking in Waltham
WOBURN – A Waltham man has pleaded guilty to armed carjacking for threatening a teenager with an HIV-laced needle outside of a Waltham pharmacy, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan informed the public today.
Scott Steverding, 30, of Waltham, pleaded guilty in Middlesex Superior Court in Woburnto charges of armed carjacking, armed robbery, unarmed robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon.
Middlesex Superior Court Judge Douglas Wilkins sentenced the defendant to 5 years in prison on the armed carjacking charge, to be followed by 3 years of probation on the remaining charges, with the conditions that he stay away from the victims and have no contact with them, submit to a drug evaluation and random screens for drugs, and undergo drug treatment.
"This was a frightening and brazen assault in a busy store parking lot in the middle of the day where this defendant threatened a young woman with what he said was an HIV-contaminated needle in order to steal her car," District Attorney Ryan said. "I commend the work of the Waltham and Cambridge Police departments in apprehending this defendant quickly and ensuring that he did not harm anyone else."
On August 14, 2012 at approximately 11:14 a.m., the defendant approached a 17-year-old female who was sitting in her car in the parking lot of CVS Pharmacy on Harvard Street in Waltham. The defendant held a needle through the open window at the female, and threatened to stab her with the needle, that he said contained blood and the HIV virus, if she didn’t give him her car. The victim jumped out of the car, and the defendant drove away with the car and the victim’s possessions, including her wallet, cell phone, camera and cash.
Waltham police launched an immediate investigation into the incident. As part of the investigation, the Waltham Police reviewed the CVS store surveillance video, which captured the interaction between the defendant and the victim. A Waltham Police Officer who was familiar with the defendant was able to positively identify him as the assailant. Subsequently, it was determined that the defendant had also robbed a Getty Mart convenience store in Waltham the day before.
A warrant was subsequently issued and the suspect was arrested on August 15, 2012 by the Cambridge Police Department. The defendant was arraigned August 16, 2012 in Waltham District Court where he was ordered held without bail after a dangerousness hearing.
The case was investigated by the Waltham Police Department with assistance from the Cambridge Police Department.
The prosecutor assigned to the case is Assistant District Attorney Jessica Noble. The Victim Witness Advocate is Danielle DeMeo.