Desmond C. Romeo (left) and Anthony Battle

Incident on Cleveland Avenue

Newark Police arrest two men after incident on Cleveland Avenue

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4:22 p.m., Oct. 22, 2012--Newark Police have arrested two 19-year-old Edgewood, Md., men for multiple offenses after an incident at approximately 1 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 21, on East Cleveland Avenue.

The incident began when two 21-year-old women walking on the sidewalk on East Cleveland Avenue attempted to pass through a group of men standing on either side of the sidewalk. As they passed through the group, both were slapped on the buttocks by men in the group. Five additional women, ages 18 to 20, then passed through the same group and also were slapped on the buttocks. 

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One of the victims, a 20-year-old woman from Clayton, confronted the men and was pushed to the street by one of the men, later identified as Desmond C. Romeo. When she attempted to call 911, another man, later identified as Anthony Battle, took her cell phone and threw it, preventing her from completing the call. An 18-year-old woman who confronted the group was grabbed around the neck by Romeo, who lifted her off the ground before throwing her into nearby bushes. A 19-year-old man attempted to intervene and was knocked to the ground by someone in the group. 

During the altercation, several calls were placed to the Newark Police Department, and responding officers detained six men who were attempting to leave the scene in different directions. Witnesses at the scene were able to positively identify Romeo and Battle, who were charged with multiple counts. 

The woman thrown to the street sustained minor abrasions to her back, and the women thrown into the bushes sustained neck and back pain. The man thrown the ground had abrasions to his arm. All three declined medical treatment. 

Five of the eight victims are current UD students, one is a former UD student and two are not students. Neither Battle, Romeo nor the other for men detained are UD students. 

Batttle was charged with one count of second degree robbery, three counts of third degree unlawful sexual contact and one count of malicious interference with emergency communications. Romeo was charged with one count of strangulation, two counts of third degree unlawful sexual contact and two counts of offensive touching. 

Both men were committed to  Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in lieu of bail. 

Anyone with additional information about this incident should contact Detective James Skinner at 302-366-7110, ext. 135, or james.skinner@cj.state.de.us. Anonymous tips can be texted to 302NPD with the message to TIP411. Information also can be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333 or www.tipsubmit.com, where a reward may be available.  

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