Telford Teen Charged With Felony Robbery, Assault

A Telford teenager remains incarcerated at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility on felony robbery, assault and witness intimidation charges stemming from his alleged involvement in the severe beating of a Telford man late Monday night.

Matthew Wiggins, 18, of the 300 block of Franconia Avenue, Telford, was arraigned July 18 on seven charges before District Judge James Gallagher. A preliminary hearing is set for July 26 at 3:45 p.m. before District Judge Kenneth Deatelhauser of Souderton.

Wiggins faces the following charges:

• Felony robbery with inflicting serious bodily injury upon another
• Felony aggravated assault
• Felony criminal conspiracy to commit robbery with serious bodily injury
• Felony intimidation of a witness
• Misdemeanor attempted simple assault
• Misdemeanor criminal trespass
• Misdemeanor loitering and prowling at nighttime

Telford Borough Police Detective Daniel Fox wrote in an affidavit that Wiggins, along with two other individuals, allegedly chased down and beat a Telford man about the head at 9:40 p.m. July 16.

On Monday, July 16, at 9:40 p.m., Telford Police respodned to 315 Northview Avenue, Telford Borough, for a reported assault and robbery, according to the affidavit.

Upon arrival, an officer found the victim had been badly beaten and in need of emergency transport to the hospital, according to the affidavit.

The victim had been punched and kicked in the head, Fox said.

Two witnesses reported seeing the victim chased down the street by a black male and a stocky white male, police said.

The victim was caught by the two men, with one chasing on foot and the other in a vehicle, according to the affidavit.

The victim was knocked to the ground and kicked in the head, police said. Witnesses reported the assailants fled the area in a SUV driven by a third person, police said.

Fox interviewed the victim at the hospital, and the victim told Fox that he recognized one of the assailants as "black Matt," according to the affidavit, later identifed as Wiggins.

Wiggins had family in the same neighborhood as the victim's and the two had met previously, according to the affidavit.

The victim told Fox that Wiggins allegedly came to the front door of his home and knocked, according to the complaint. When the victim answered the door, Wiggins allegedly challenged the victim to a fight, police said.

The victim declined, according to the affidavit, and Wiggins allegedly told the victim that if he did not come out for the fight, Wiggins would vandalize his car.

Wiggins allegedly started walking toward the victim's car, which prompted the victim to exit his house, according to the affidavit.

Upon exiting the house, the victim was surprised by a heavy set white male, who had been hiding behind a vehicle in the driveway, according to the complaint.

The victim was unable to get back into his home because the white male was in the way, according to the complaint.

The victim ran down the street and continued to run until he was exhausted. The heavy-set white male and Wiggins allegedly caught him and punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground, according to the complaint.

The victim told Fox he "saw stars" when he got kicked in the head, according to the complaint.

The affidavit said the victim was kicked and stomped in the body and head as he lay on the ground. Someone went through the victim's pockets and demanded money, police said in the complaint.

The victim's shoes were taken off his feet as well, police said.

The assailants got off of the victim, at which time he got up and started back toward his home, according to the affidavit. He said one of the assailants may have thrown his shoes at him.

The victim told Fox he knew Wiggins, but he was not well acquainted with him, police said. He told Fox that Wiggins allegedly called him a few weeks prior to the incident and that the victim was not interested in continuing dialogue with him, police said.

The victim said Wiggins took the victim's lack of interest as a slight and responded the same by allegedly sending the victim a series of threats via text messages and phone calls, police said.

During one heated phone call, police said, the victim told Wiggins that if he wanted to fight to come to his home.

Police said the victim suffered multiple bruises and scrapes to his body and head. 

The victim suffered a broken eardrum and concussion as a result of the assault, police said.

On July 17, Wiggins began calling the Telford Police, according to the affidavit.

During the calls, Wiggins claimed to have never been in Telford on July 16, police said. A second person called Telford Police, claiming that Wiggins was with her the entire time and could not have committed the assault, police said.

On July 17, Wiggins came to the Teflord Police Department, along with Daniel Munson, Wiggins' girlfriend and Crystal Gundel, police said.

Gundel identified herself as the person who called the police and stated that Wiggins was with her during the alleged assault and robbery, police said.

Gundel told police that she made the report to police under duress, police said. She told police that Wiggins had allegedly threatened her by telling that he would get his "ratchet" if she did not cooperate and make a false statement to police, police said.

Gundel told police that she knew "ratchet" was street slang for a gun and she knew Wiggins had access to a gun that belonged to his brother, Aaron Munson, police said. She told police she saw the gun prior to the July 4 holiday, police said, as she was in Aaron Munson's bedroom when Munson allegedly bragged about the gun.

Police said Munson allegedly reached into a cubby and produced a hard object that was wrapped in cloth. Gundel told police it was shaped like a gun, police said.

Police said Wiggins had threatened different people, as he attempted to assemble a group of would-be witnesses for a fictitious alibi. Gundel told police that Wiggin was not with her at the time of the assault, and that she was very afraid of him.

Wiggins denied involvement in the assault and robbery, police said. 

After he was read his Miranda Rights, Wiggins admitted to police that on July 16 he and two other men - a white male known as "Loki" and a black male known as "Tracy" - came up to the Telford area in Tracy's SUV, police said.

Wiggins told police that they were driving in the area and saw the victim, police said. Wiggins told police that he mentioned having words with the victim, police said. Wiggins also told police that Loki had asked if the victim had any money, police said.

Wiggins told police that Loki wanted to go to the victim's house and rob the victim, police said. Wiggins told police that Loki told him to tempt the victim out of his home, according to the affidavit.

Police said Wiggins told them that Loki chased the victim, while he and Tracy followed in the SUV.

Wiggins told police that Loki allegedly assaulted the victim and kicked the victim in the head, police said. Wiggins told police that Loki allegedly went through the victim's pockets and removed the victim's shoes, police said.

When asked about the knowledge of a gun, Wiggins told police that his brother has a .38-caliber pistol hidden in the Munson home, police said.

A Breaking News Network report stated a perpetrator search was underway in the area of 5 Lenape Lane in Telford early Tuesday morning with the involvement of numerous Bucks and Montgomery County agencies.