GREENFIELD – The final of six North Quabbin residents facing charges of kidnapping and other crimes stemming from an alleged Feb. 1 incident was arraigned in Franklin County Superior Court this week after his case was transferred from Orange District Court due to its severity.

Franklin L. Payne, 47, of Athol, remains free after the $2,500 bail he posted in District Court was also transferred. On Wednesday, he again pleaded not guilty to three counts of conspiracy, two counts of assault and battery, two counts of kidnapping, two counts of armed robbery, and single counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault with a dangerous weapon, and intimidate to steal from depository, according to the clerk’s office.

Athol residents April A. McCassie, James Murphy, Ronald P. Mitchell III, and Brian A. Chamberland face charges stemming from the same alleged incident, as does Orange resident Marlene M. Hill. They previously pleaded not guilty to their charges after their cases were transferred from District Court to Superior Court.

According to police reports, a man visited the Athol Police Department at roughly 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 purchase 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 admitted to police that he and the other man had stolen clothes belonging to Payne’s brother.

The victim reported that McCassie called Payne to inform him 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 arrived and began hitting the other man before questioning the 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, saying he was going to cut him. The reporting complainant said Payne forced 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 stopped them.

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

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. The two victims were allowed to leave the residence after roughly four hours, according to police reports.

Payne is represented by defense attorney Robert Bray. Assistant District Attorney Joseph Webber is prosecuting all six cases for the commonwealth.

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