ORANGE — Six North Quabbin residents face charges of kidnapping and other crimes as a result of an assault in which two people were reportedly held against their will for four hours in an Athol house on Feb. 1.

Athol residents Franklin L. Payne, 46, April A. McCassie, 41, Brian A. Chamberland, 38, James Murphy, 30, and Ronald P. Mitchell III, 32, and Marlene M. Hill, 44, of Orange, pleaded not guilty in front of Judge Laurie MacLeod in Orange District Court on Friday.

Payne, McCassie, Chamberland and Murphy were ordered held without the right to bail pending a dangerousness hearing set for Tuesday. State law allows for District Court defendants to be detained without bail for up to 120 days if a judge deems them too dangerous to be released. Meanwhile, Mitchell and Hill were released on personal recognizance with conditions that include not going within 50 yards of the alleged victims.

Payne was charged with two counts of each of the following charges: kidnapping, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, conspiracy, armed robbery, assault to maim, and intimidate to steal from depository. McCassie, Chamberland and Murphy were charged with two counts of each of the following: kidnapping, assault and battery, conspiracy, armed robbery, and intimidate to steal from depository.

Mitchell and Hill pleaded not guilty to two counts of each of the following: kidnapping, conspiracy, unarmed robbery, and breaking and entering into a building at nighttime for a felony. They are both due to return to court on April 14.

According to police reports, a man visited the Athol Police Station at around 5:10 p.m. on Feb. 2 to report being assaulted the previous night and having several items stolen. The man had injuries to his hand, head, face and back, and was directed to Athol Hospital for medical evaluation.

The man told police over the course of three interviews that he and a friend visited 32 Laurel St. at about 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 1 to try to buy drugs. According to police reports, McCassie accused the two men of being at 5 Sanders St. when items were stolen the previous night. The reporting victim later told police he and the other man had stolen clothes belonging to Payne’s brother.

The victim said McCassie called Payne to inform him that the other man was at the house. Two men — later identified as Chamberland and Murphy — then allegedly grabbed his friend and held him until Payne arrived.

The reporting victim said Payne showed up and started hitting the other man before questioning the reporting victim, who admitted to stealing the clothing. He said Payne started hitting him in the face and dragged him into the back bedroom. According to police reports, Payne at some point grabbed a pocket knife that fell out of the victim’s backpack, opened it, held the blade to the victim’s face and said he was going to cut him. The reporting victim said Payne told him the two victims had to fight each other or he would knock the other man unconscious. The victim said his friend placed him in a chokehold until Payne split them up.

The reporting victim told police Payne removed his own belt and began whipping his back while demanding the personal identification number to the victim’s debit card and cellphone. According to police reports, it was later determined that someone involved with the incident used the debit card to deplete the victim’s bank account.

The victim told police the assault lasted about an hour and a half before a man and woman — later identified as Hill and Mitchell — removed him from the residence and placed him in Hill’s vehicle. The victim said they drove to his grandparents’ house to retrieve some of the stolen items before driving back to 32 Laurel St., and Hill and Mitchell did the same with the other man. According to police reports, the two victims were allowed to leave the residence after roughly four hours.

Assistant District Attorney Joseph Webber is prosecuting these cases for the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office. Payne is represented by attorney Robert Bray, McCassie is represented by attorney Nora Leovich, Chamberland is represented by attorney David Simanski, Mitchell is represented by attorney John Godleski and Hill is represented by attorney Steve Shea. Murphy was represented by attorney Donovan Boyle but will reportedly get new counsel.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.

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