A cleaning job arranged through Facebook Marketplace ended with three Flint-area residents under arrest after someone spotted what looked like stolen items sitting inside their vehicle outside a Bloomfield Township home. Police say the trio had been hired to help prepare the house for an estate sale, and instead walked away with propane tanks, a Blu-Ray player, alcohol and toiletries.
According to The Oakland Press, two women and a man were hired to prepare a Bloomfield Township home for an estate sale. Bloomfield Township police officers responded to a reported larceny at a home in the 2000 block of Dell Rose Drive on October 23, arriving at approximately 2 p.m., per the same outlet. The person who contacted police reported that stolen items were visible inside the cleaning crew's vehicle, the paper reports.
Officers identified the suspects as Shawna Stewart, 48, Derek Rohner, 47, and Niakna Russo, 30, according to FOX 2 Detroit, which reported that the man and two women from the Flint area were arrested Friday. Officials said the three defendants are from Flint and were hired via Facebook Marketplace, The Oakland Press reports. Stolen property from the home was located in the suspects' vehicle and included propane tanks, a Blu-Ray player, alcohol and toiletries, per FOX 2 Detroit.
Narcotics and Paraphernalia Allegedly Found in Bags and on a Suspect
Police said the case escalated well beyond the alleged theft once the three were transported to the Bloomfield Township police station. Officers found narcotics in a bag reportedly belonging to Stewart and paraphernalia in a bag reportedly belonging to Russo, police said, according to The Oakland Press. Police also said they found additional paraphernalia hidden on Stewart's body, and that Russo admitted to having narcotics and paraphernalia on her person.
Police recovered five grams of suspected methamphetamine and two grams of suspected fentanyl from the suspects, the station reported. Rohner admitted to stealing alcohol from the home, police said. The alleged presence of fentanyl and methamphetamine broadened the case, with drug-possession charges against Stewart and Russo and a larceny charge against Rohner.
Charges and Bond for Each Defendant
Stewart was arraigned on possession of methamphetamine, a 10-year felony, and receiving and concealing stolen property, a 93-day misdemeanor, per FOX 2 Detroit. Rohner was arraigned on a charge of larceny in a building, a four-year felony, while Russo was arraigned on a charge of possession of a controlled substance, also a four-year felony, the station reported. Under Michigan law, a person may not knowingly or intentionally possess a controlled substance, controlled-substance analogue or prescription form unless it was obtained through a valid prescription, practitioner order, or other legal authorization, according to the Michigan Legislature.
Stewart was released after arraignment on a $5,000 personal bond requiring no cash or surety, and Russo received the same terms, The Oakland Press reports. Rohner had bond set at $7,500 with a 10% provision, meaning he could be released by posting $750, according to the paper.
Upcoming Court Dates
Rohner, Russo and Stewart are due back in court for a probable cause conference on November 3, followed by a preliminary exam on November 11, per The Oakland Press. Both appearances are scheduled before 48th District Judge Diane D'Agostini, the outlet reports.
In the wake of the arrests, the Bloomfield Township Police Department issued a reminder urging residents to use caution when hiring people through online platforms and to take steps to protect their belongings, according to FOX 2 Detroit.
