NORWICH – An Oxford man accused of assault and mischief appeared in Supreme Court Monday after the mother of his children tried to withdraw the $500 bail she originally posted for his release.

Robert W. Gallo Jr., 26, was arrested Dec. 6 by the Norwich Police Department for allegedly assaulting a female victim and causing $3,000 in damages to the victim’s car.

The incident allegedly took place at 2:45 a.m. Dec. 6 along Fair Street in the City of Norwich. A grand jury indicted Gallo in January for second degree mischief, a Class D felony, and third degree misdemeanor assault. Gallo has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Gallo’s ex-live-in girlfriend and mother of his children, Cassandra Barrows, who is not the victim in the incident, wrote Supreme Court Justice Kevin M. Dowd a letter requesting a bail hearing in Gallo’s case so she could withdraw the $500 bail she posted for his release.

Although Barrows was not in court, Dowd read directly from the letter after District Attorney Joseph A. McBride said Gallo was a “local drug dealer” for the last five years.

The DA said Gallo had previous arrests for cocaine and claimed that both his father and Barrows, who have both been charged with misdemeanor drug possession, had “taken the rap” for him in an unrelated case.

Dowd read the letter to the court in which Barrows requested a bail hearing and claims Gallo continued to be involved in local drug activity.