ROCKLAND, Maine — A state judge refused Wednesday to release from jail an Owls Head man accused of robbing a Rockport pharmacy in September.
Donald R. Keating Jr., 55, has been held without bail on a probation violation charge since he was arrested Sept. 9. On Wednesday, Justice Daniel Billings set $25,000 cash bail on the new charges of robbery, trafficking in drugs and stealing drugs. Then he ordered Keating continue to be held without bail on the probation violation.
Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Baroody said bail should be denied because Keating was on probation at the time of the robbery for a 2003 conviction on 11 counts of sexually assaulting a girl. In that case, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison with all but seven years suspended and placed on probation for six years.
Baroody also pointed out Keating violated bail twice after he was released.
Defense attorney William Pagnano said his client was a lifelong resident of the area, had a home and owned 25 acres of property that included water frontage. He asked bail be set at $75,000 surety so the land could be put up as bail.
Pagnano said the robbery allegation does not make any claim Keating had a weapon or threatened anyone.
According to police, Keating walked into the pharmacy Sept. 9 with a plastic Hannaford bag over his head, went to the counter and demanded morphine. He told employees they had 30 seconds to meet his demand, according to police.