Think I'll be avoiding this D&D.

Coffee tampering claims lead to arrests

By ERIC GERSHON
STAFF WRITER

HYANNIS - Two Dunkin' Donuts employees face criminal charges for spitting and urinating in coffee they served to patrons of the North Street shop where they worked, authorities said.

A six-day investigation by Barnstable police - who thought fellow officers might have swilled the spiked joe - led to felony charges against Rodrigo Rodrigues, 22, of Centerville and Junior DaSilva, 26, of Hyannis, who worked at the Dunkin' Donuts at 149 North St.

Each faces one count of distributing food intended or expected to cause injury.

The men are free on bail after arraignment in Barnstable District Court this week. They were arrested Feb. 3.

Police began asking questions on Jan. 29, after an anonymous tipster said the store manager was ''SPITTING and putting URINE in POLICE OFFICERS COFFEE,'' according to a police report filed in court.

Rodrigues was the store's manager, police said.

At least one doughnut shop employee told police she heard DaSilva threaten to spit in a customer's coffee and heard Rodrigues encourage him.

On one occasion, the woman heard DaSilva ''make a spitting sound while the coffees were in front of him,'' then saw him serve the drinks to a customer, according to the police report.

The day before DaSilva's arrest, he told police he witnessed Rodrigues spit in a customer's coffee, put a lid on the cup, then shake it. DaSilva then gave the cup to a customer at the drive-through window, police said.

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Barnstable police spokesman Sgt. Sean Sweeney said both Rodrigues and DaSilva were no longer working at Dunkin' Donuts.

Police indicated that both men, who are originally from Brazil, may have been in the United States illegally.

Sweeney did not know if his department had contacted immigration authorities or planned to.

Both men surrendered their Brazilian passports, according to First Assistant District Attorney Michael Trudeau.

If convicted, Rodrigues and DaSilva could face up to five years in prison.

Sweeney said he had not bought coffee from the shop where they worked.

''I don't drink coffee,'' he said.

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