FALL RIVER A Fall River man charged in a September attack on two clerks at a Rodman Street convenience store pleaded not guilty Tuesday, Oct. 27, in Fall River Superior Court, and bail was set at $10,000 surety or $1,000 cash, the Fall River Reporter reported.
Ryan Pavao, 36, was arraigned on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, intimidation of a witness, juror, police officer or court official, and two counts of assault and battery, according to the outlet. The armed robbery charge police brought after his arrest is not among the Superior Court charges, the Fall River Reporter reported. Pavao is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
At his first arraignment, on Wednesday, Sept. 9, in Fall River District Court, Pavao pleaded not guilty and was held without bail, the outlet reported, citing court records. A pretrial conference in the Superior Court case is scheduled for Nov. 20, according to the Reporter.
What police said happened
Patrol Bureau officers were called just after 10:15 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 7, to Mama G's Convenience Store on Rodman Street for a report of two people assaulting the store clerks, Lt. Matthew Mendes said, according to the Fall River Reporter.
A man and a woman had come into the store after it closed and began putting items into a basket, police said. One clerk asked them to return the items because the store was closed, and they refused to leave, according to the police account. When a clerk said he was calling police, the man attacked both clerks, punching them and slamming one into a counter, police said. He then showed a knife, went behind the counter and took $285 before the two left, according to police.
Detectives from the department's Community Action and Suppression Team and its Major Crimes Division identified Pavao, police said.
What the charges carry
Under state law, the basic charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon is punishable by up to 10 years in state prison or up to 2 1/2 years in a house of correction, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.
The witness intimidation law, Chapter 268, Section 13B, covers anyone who willfully misleads, intimidates or harasses a witness, a police officer or a court official, among others, to interfere with a criminal investigation or proceeding. It carries up to 10 years in state prison, up to 2 1/2 years in a house of correction, a fine of $1,000 to $5,000, or both. Simple assault and battery carries up to 2 1/2 years in a house of correction or a fine of up to $1,000.
What comes next
South Coast 360 will update this story with the court record and the November hearing.
Label: Reported by us, from the town's posted records.
Notes
Every fact about the attack, the arrest, the charges, both arraignments, the pleas, the bail and the Nov. 20 date comes from the Fall River Reporter's Oct. 28 report, which cites Lt. Matthew Mendes of the Fall River Police Department and, for the September arraignment, court records. Each is credited to the outlet until we read the court record. Penalties come from the General Laws. We checked each date and weekday against a calendar. The clerks are not named.
Corrections
No corrections to this story. If something here is wrong, tell us. Every correction is dated on the story and listed in our public log.
Sources (4)
- Fall River Reporter, "Fall River man granted bail after alleged armed robbery, violent assault of store clerks" (Oct. 28, 2026)The police account from Lt. Matthew Mendes (the Sept. 7 call, the store, the attack, the knife and the $285, the CAST Team and Major Crimes Division) and the original charges; citing court records, the Sept. 9 district court arraignment, plea and hold; and the Oct. 27 Superior Court arraignment, the charges without armed robbery, the plea, the bail and the Nov. 20 pretrial conference. Posted Oct. 28, 2026, 2:07 p.m. Read Oct. 28, 2026.
- Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 265, Section 15APenalty for assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, subsection (b). Read Oct. 25, 2026.
- Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 268, Section 13BIntimidation of witnesses, police officers and court officials. Read Oct. 27, 2026.
- Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 265, Section 13APenalty for assault and battery, subsection (a). Read Oct. 26, 2026.