Twin Brothers Charged With Felony Assault

Twin brothers Angel and Miguel Conde appeared via video arraignment in Nashua District Court just after 11 a.m. today in connection with a Sept. 14 street brawl that drew more than 100 spectators, police said.

Bail was set for both brothers at $10,000 cash or surety.

Angel Conde was charged with first-degree assault for allegedly aiding his brother, Miguel Conde, in an assault on another man, Juan Baez Cruz, by holding him while his brother allegedly stabbed Baez Cruz in the stomach, head and face.

Angel Conde appeared first before Judge Thomas Bamberger, shirtless with his left arm bandaged. He told Bamberger that he was supposed to start a new job today and just wanted “to get this finished and do my life.”

Miguel Conde appeared next, wearing an orange prison jumpsuit. He was charged with first-degree assault in the stabbing, and was also held on $10,000 cash or surety.

The brothers both tried to explain themselves to the judge during their separate arraignments, both starting to say that they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

But Bamberger cautioned them that anything they said could be used against them in court, and advised them to speak to a lawyer before saying anything more. Both politely apologized to the court, and remained silent.

Their mother spoke on behalf of Angel, saying he was supposed to start a new job today, and asked the judge reduce his bail.

Their sister, Jessica, told the court that Miguel has a 1-year-old daughter, and that he is "a really good dad" who doesn't smoke or drink. She also asked for his bail to be reduced.

In both cases, Bamberger said given the seriousness of the crimes, the bail amount as set was not unreasonable and bordered on lenient.

Court papers detailed interviews with several witnesses and statements from the Conde brothers, which describe a verbal argument with Baez Cruz that escalated after Baez Cruz returned to the neighborhood with several others in a vehicle, allegedly all armed with bats and sticks, according to a court affadavit.

Police said their investigation into the brawl determined that it originated when the Conde brothers, both age 19, of Dale Street, Nashua, worked together to assault Baez Cruz. Neighbors said they saw people grabbing tire irons, baseball bats and pipes from their vehicles and jumping into the fray.

Most of the crowd scattered when police arrived, neighbors said.

Miguel Conde was charged with first degree assault, a Class A felony. Angel Conde was charged with criminal liability to first degree assault, a Class A felony.

Baez Cruz, 24, of 35 Crown St., Nashua, sustained non-life threatening injuries. He was charged with resisting arrest and simple assault, both Class A misdemeanors.

Also charged: Juan Guzman-Encarnacion, 21, of 37 Central St., Nashua, charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, both Class A felonies; Ylbyn Encarnacion-Martinez, 20, of 68¾ Ash St., Nashua, for resisting detention, Class A felony; Getsemani Velez, 29, of 7 Fairmount St., Nashua, for resisting detention, Class A misdemeanor.

Two juveniles were charged with delinquent child: disorderly conduct and resisting detention, Class A misdemeanor, respectively.

Angel and Miguel Conde were held without bail.

Outside the courtroom, their mother and other family members lingered, making phone calls, trying to raise the money needed for their release.

The others arrested on misdemeanor charges all made bail, police said. Baez Cruz will be arraigned on Sept. 21; Encarnacion-Martinez and Guzman-Encarnacion on Oct. 19; and Velez on Oct. 25. The juveniles were released to a parent or responsible adult.

The scene of the crime is a quick walk from the courthouse, where Barbara Dionne was sitting this morning on her front doorstep, just as she was the night before, when she witnessed what she called a “gang brawl” erupt across the street from her apartment building.

“There were people fighting everywhere – smashing car windows, grabbing tire irons and pipes and baseball bats. What a mess,” said Dionne.

Dionne said she has only lived in her apartment for the past seven months. She'd like to move, but can't afford to.

“This ain't over yet – ain't no way. It's only just begun,” Dionne said.

She sat with three other neighbors this morning, talking over cigarettes and beer, and speculating about how every summer, it seems, cars featuring Massachusetts license plates frequent their neighborhood.

“The people from Mass. come and mix it up with the people from Nashua, then Nashua people go down there. It happens every summer,” said a man who rode up on a bike who identified himself as Ralph, but didn't want to give his last name.

“I'm sure there will be retaliation for this, only this time it will be worse. You ain't seen nothing yet. Next time, bullets will be flying,” he said.

“They used to have a police substation just down there,” said Dionne, pointing toward the opposite end of the Bronstein Apartments, where the brawl took place.

Dionne said her friend, Sheryl, had to walk across the street after the fighting started and ask someone to send a group of children inside the apartment house.

“They were just standing there watching. You don't want to get the kids involved in this stuff. They shouldn't have to see this,” Dionne said. “The biggest mistake they ever made was getting rid of the substation. They should have never moved it out."