Rochester Police have charged the “victims” of the November 16 home invasion on Hartley Road with a number of criminal charges after one of the reporting parties admitted to police that they made the whole thing up.
Criminal complaints were issued in Wareham District Thursday charging Jeffrey Mello, 22 , no known address and Donna Laliberte, 51, of Hartley Road Rochester each with three counts of false report of a crime, conspiracy, and obstruction for misleading investigators with false statements.
The charges come after Mello was arrested in Mattapoisett on an unrelated warrant and while in custody admitted to Rochester investigators that he made the story up at the request of Laliberte who is the home owner. Mello said the original suspect, Augusto Darosa, came to the house to retrieve some personal items he had there and left without incident. When Laliberte came home and found out Darosa took his belongings she became extremely upset that Mello let him remove the items because she claimed Darosa owed her about $2500.
Mello told investigators that Laliberte directed him to call the police and tell them that Darosa had stolen the money or she would kick him out of the house. Mello said because he was homeless and staying with Laliberte, he agreed to go along with the story so he would not get kicked out.
Rochester Police arrested Laliberte on a warrant for the charges at her home Friday morning. She was arraigned in Wareham District Court. Mello is wanted on an outstanding warrant for the new charges and police are actively looking for him. Charges against Darosa have been dismissed.
Rochester Police Press Release