Second Teen Charged In Daytime Online Marketplace Sale That Turned Into Daytime Armed Street Robbery: EHPD

EAST HAVEN, CT—A second arrest has been made in connection to an early January robbery during which several shots were fired in a busy commercial area of Main Street, according to East Haven police spokesperson Capt. Joseph M. Murgo.

As reported by Patch, the Jan. 8 incident stemmed from what was supposed to be a Facebook Marketplace transaction in daylight on a busy street that escalated into an armed robbery. During the struggle for a gun, several rounds were discharged. No one was injured.

From that report:

Witnesses then reported several people running from the scene after hearing what they believed to be gunshots, and when cops got to the scene, they found several people "involved in the dispute and a crime scene containing spent shell casings," Murgo said at the time. The people who remained on scene "fully cooperated with police," Murgo said.

The juvenile victim said they had been robbed by a person they met online who had expressed interest in purchasing an item they listed for sale," Murgo said. "The victims stated that when they met up with the suspect and handed over the merchandise for sale, a struggle ensued."

That item was a watch.

The juvenile said that he and a friend met with the suspect to complete the transaction. After the watch was handed over, multiple attempts to complete an electronic payment through an app were unsuccessful, Murgo said, adding that a "struggle ensued" and, the victim said, at one point during the struggle, the suspect, later identified as Isiah Lee Falconer, 18, pulled a gun out and then a struggle for the gun.

"During the struggle for the firearm, Falconer fired several shots," Murgo said. "Fortunately, no one was struck or injured."

Police said that the juvenile victim managed to remove an extended magazine from the firearm left at the scene, in addition to several other pieces of evidence.

Falconer fled the area in a silver Nissan sedan in possession of the stolen watch, Murgo said.

Detectives quickly identified Falconer and made contact with him at his residence in Hamden. He was taken into custody and was transported to the East Haven Police Department where he was processed. Isiah Lee Falconer, 18, of Burke Street, Hamden, CT was charged with Robbery in the First Degree, Reckless in the First Degree, Threatening / Armed/Display Firearm in the First Degree, Illegal Discharge of a Firearm, Illegal Possession of a Large Capacity Magazine, Carrying a Pistol without a Permit, Larceny in the Sixth Degree.

A second arrest

Murgo said Tuesday that following the initial arrest, EHPD Detective John Fraenza "continued the investigation and identified a second individual involved in the robbery."

Justin M. Chapman, 18, of Hamden, was taken into custody without incident by members of the East Haven Police Investigative Services Division and was charged with:

Criminal Liability / Robbery in the First Degree (Threatening the Use of a Firearm. Criminal Liability / Larceny in the Second Degree (Taking Property from a Person), Risk of Injury to a Child. Assault in the Third Degree and Breach of Peace in the Second Degree.

Chapman is being held on a $150,000 court-set bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 11.

The East Haven Police Department reminds its residents to use extreme caution when selling items to strangers they meet online.

Please remember:

• Meet in a public, well-lit location. Preferably during daylight hours. Many police departments, including ours, offer safe spaces for online transactions that are on video surveillance 24 hours a day.
• Bring another person with you whenever possible and let someone else know where you’re going and who you’re meeting.
• Do not hand over the item until payment is fully completed and verified. If using an electronic payment app, confirm the funds have transferred to your account before releasing the item.
• Trust your instincts. If something feels off, rushed behavior, excuses about payment issues, or pressure to move locations, end the meeting immediately.
• Avoid sharing personal information, including your home address, school, or daily routines, and keep communication within the platform when possible.