Merrimac man facing drug offenses charged with domestic violence

Daily News of Newburyport - 7/28/2020

Jul. 28--MERRIMAC -- A local man out on bail after being charged with fentanyl trafficking and possession charges out of Lawrence District Court earlier this month turned himself in to Newburyport District Court officials Monday where he now faces a domestic violence charge.

A warrant for Matthew Faino, 41, of Adams Street, was issued on Friday after he slammed a female acquaintance against a door during an argument, according to an Essex County prosecutor. Faino got wind of the warrant and appeared in court on Monday for arraignment.

Judge Peter Doyle ordered him held on $2,500 cash bail, which he posted minutes later. Faino also was ordered to remain drug and alcohol free with random screens. He is due back in Newburyport District Court, via video conference, on Aug. 20 for a pretrial hearing.

Essex County prosecutor Shailagh Kennedy asked Doyle to hold Faino on $10,000 cash bail on the new charge but revoke his bail on the drug charges for violating conditions of his release, which included staying out of trouble with the law.

Faino and Rowley resident Matthew Toomey, 40, were arraigned on July 9 in Lawrence District Court after they were allegedly seen by Lawrence police conducting a drug buy with a 16-year-old boy in the area of Avon and Trinity streets.

The teen was also stopped and found to have narcotics which were "packaged in a manner consistent with distribution," according to Lawrence police.

At Faino's arraignment in Lawrence District Court, he posted $1,000 cash bail and was given a bail warning, meaning that if he was charged with any new offense he could be arrested and held without bail.

A little more than two weeks later, at around 2:15 p.m. on Friday, Faino got into an argument with a woman inside an Adams Street apartment and pushed her violently against a door injuring her back, the prosecutor said. Faino then fled before police arrived. A search of the area by Merrimac police proved fruitless prompting officers to issue a warrant for Faino's arrest, according to Kennedy.

Joined by his attorney and the alleged victim, Faino turned himself in wearing a gray business suit and tie. Faino's attorney said the alleged victim was ready to testify the attack never happened and that holding Faino on a domestic violence charge would be unfair. The attorney went on to say that the alleged incident was reported by a neighbor who disliked Faino.

Kennedy countered that the alleged victim was being uncooperative with authorities and would say anything to clear Faino. Kennedy also said that even with the alleged victim's testimony, there was still enough probable cause that Faino violated conditions of his release on the drug charges.

Eagle Tribune reporter Breanna Edelstein contributed to this report.

Staff writer Dave Rogers can be reached at drogers@newburyportnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @drogers41008.

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