Raynham Hotel Clerk Held At Knifepoint, 2 From Brockton Arrested

RAYNHAM, MA — A man and a woman from Brockton were arrested after police said they robbed a hotel clerk at knifepoint early Sunday.

Joseph Pierce, 36 and Julia Pucciarelli, 30, were charged with armed robbery, armed assault to rob, vandalizing property and witness intimidation.

Around 2 a.m., Sunday, Raynham Police were called to the Courtyard Marriott hotel, 37 Paramount Drive, for a report of a hotel clerk being mugged.

The clerk was not hurt. She told police that a man came in to the hotel lobby and went into a back room, where the woman was working, pulled out a knife and demanded money from her. That man was later identified as Pierce.

Pierce left the hotel with an undisclosed amount of cash in a dark-colored sedan, police said Pucciarelli was driving.

As police were investigating the robbery, a call came in about an attempted shoplifting incident at a Walmart nearby at Paramount Drive. Video footage from the store showed a man trying to steal merchandise. Store employees saw him, so the man ran away without the items.

After reviewing the security footage, police confirmed the man was Pierce. Additional video showed Pierce leaving in a black Hyundai Elantra with a Virginia license plate. Police said Pucciarelli was also seen on video leaving the store and getting in the same car.

Police were unable to get the vehicle's license plate, but were able to determine the vehicle was a rental, registered to Pucciarelli. With help from the Brockton Police, Raynham Police executed a search warrant of Pucciarelli's home arrested her and Pierce, and seized her rental car.

Both Pierce and Pucciarelli are also being investigated for similar incidents out of West Bridgewater, Waltham and Boston, and could face additional charges.

Both suspects were being held pending arraignment Monday at Taunton District Court.

Photos via Raynham Police