Tewksbury Man Sentenced for Robbery with Hypodermic Needle

TEWKSBURY, MA — A Tewksbury man was sentenced in on Aug. 26 for robbing Tedeschi Food Shop in Tewksbury with a hypodermic needle, according to the court.

Nicholas Rocco, 29, of Valley Road in Tewksbury was sentenced to three years in prison and two years of probation in Lowell Superior Court after he plead guilty to assault with a hypodermic needle and a lesser charge of armed robbery. Rocco was also ordered to have no contact with the victim and to not return to the Tedeschi location.

Rocco must also submit to drug evaluations and treatment.

According to Tewksbury Police, officers responded responded to the Tedeschi Food Shops for a report that the store clerk was robbed with a hypodermic needle on March 15. The suspect fled on foot toward Salem and South Streets with an undisclosed amount of money.

Police allege that Rocco entered the store and told the clerk he was going to “poke” him with the needle and that he would “catch aids” if he didn’t comply with giving him money from the register.

Detectives focused on Rocco as a person of interest as he matched the description given by the victim. Detectives and officers were able to track Rocco down in the wooded area across from Walgreens at approximately 10:08 a.m.

Rocco was originally charged with for armed robbery while masked and assault by means of a hypodermic needle.

Liz Taurasi, Patch Staff contributed to this report.