A former U.S. Marine recruiter who was once a person of interest in the death of a recruit was arrested Tuesday in Salem, Massachusetts for allegedly violating his probation.
Frank Lipka, 39, was arraigned in May on charges of assaulting a pizza delivery driver in a September 2017 encounter. His arrest stems from his alleged failure to notify probation officers of his whereabouts.
According to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office, a warrant for Lipka’s arrest was issued after the suspect allegedly allowed the batteries in his GPD monitor to run down. Officials say he failed to return calls when probation officers attempted to locate him.
Lipka briefly appeared in a Salem courtroom Wednesday morning and is heading to Suffolk County District Court in Boston to face charges of violating probation.
Lipka was named a person of interest in the death of 21-year-old Joey Brancato, who went missing while he was living with Lipka and preparing to join the U.S. Marine Corps. Brancato’s body was eventually found near Interstate 95 in Canton, Massachusetts.
