A Randolph man with a lengthy rap sheet has been slapped with a $2,500 bail after menacing a woman with a hypodermic needle at a Boston bus stop, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden's office reported. The incident, which sent shockwaves through the community, occurred on Monday when Marquis Alexander, 32, allegedly threatened to stab a woman who declined to engage in conversation with him.
Judge James Stanton decided to not only set the bail but also to revoke Alexander's bail on a different case for drug charges. Alexander's criminal history is extensive, including a 19-page arrest record encompassing violent and drug distribution offenses, according to a statement from the DA's office. Convicted of unarmed robbery back in 2019, Alexander was sentenced to three years in state prison. He is now facing charges for assault with a hypodermic needle, heroin possession, and possession of a Class E drug.
The incident unfolded around 1:02 p.m. when a woman waiting at the Silver Line bus stop on Essex Street was approached by Alexander. After she ignored his request for the time, Alexander, who openly admitted to being on drugs, threatened her with a needle, saying, "If I stab you with this needle full of blood," the DA's office detailed. The terrified woman fled and promptly alerted a nearby MBTA police officer.
The officer confronted Alexander and, believing he was trying to hide a needle in his sweatshirt pocket, ordered him to drop the object. Alexander complied, and a subsequent search revealed additional needles, along with what is believed to be heroin and crushed narcotic pills. District Attorney Hayden emphasized the importance of community safety, declaring that "Personal safety and security of place are our goals for all residents and visitors to Boston" and vowed to "continue our focus on holding repeat offenders accountable," as mentioned in the statement obtained by Suffolk County's communications office.
Alexander is expected to make his return to BMC Central for a probable cause hearing on June 5. While the charges paint a grim pattern of repeat offenses, it is worth noting, as repeatedly stated by the criminal justice system, that "All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt."
