EDINBURGH — What began as an Edinburgh armed robbery investigation evolved into the discovery of drugs and counterfeit money that put three Columbus residents in jail.
Devon Michael Johns, 24, of 515 Parkway Drive, Columbus, and Jesse Michael Owens, 28, of 161 N. Mapleton St., Columbus, were booked into the Johnson County Jail early Wednesday morning, each arrested on a felony armed robbery charge.
Investigating Edinburgh Police Department Detective David Lutz said three crimes were committed during the robbery — residential burglary while armed as a Level 2 felony; robbery while armed as a Level 3 felony; and interference with reporting a crime as a Class A misdemeanor.
Felony charges regarding the drugs and counterfeit money could be filed in Bartholomew County, investigators said.
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According to a probable cause affidavit, Lutz was sent to investigate a Wednesday afternoon robbery at an apartment in the 100 block of South Walnut St. in Edinburgh.
The male victim who called 911 said when he unlocked his door after hearing someone knocking, one of two suspects kicked it in, Lutz said.
A masked suspect believed to be Owens had a semi-automatic Glock pistol that he pointed at the male victim, as well as two teenage female visitors, the affidavit stated. He yelled for the male resident and his visitors to give him their cell phones, so they couldn’t call for help, the probable cause affidavit states.
The second suspect, identified as Johns, came in unmasked, unarmed, and remained silent, the affidavit stated.
“Owens was the aggressor who was yelling commands and was armed,” Lutz wrote.
Items stolen from the living room included a 12-gauge Meriva pump shot gun, a musket style ball and cap rifle, and a black military style air soft rifle that the masked suspect wrapped in a Hawaiian-style button up shirt belonging to the victim, the affidavit stated.
When the suspect believed to be Owens got into the victim’s closet, he took out and stole a couple of pistols, a tattoo gun, and a game system, the probable cause affidavit stated.
Meanwhile, Johns took a black hoverboard, a backpack, gas bottles for the airsoft guns and other items, the affidavit stated.
As they left the apartment a few minutes later, Johns threw the cell phones on the bed while Owens threatened the three victims that if they called police, he would return and kill them, the affidavit stated.
After police arrived, the male victim told the officer he knew the identities and addresses of the robbers, which prompted Lutz to immediately request Columbus police to send officers to Owens’ residence on Mapleton Street in Columbus.
When officers arrived, they saw a black 2013 Chevrolet Equinox driven by Owens’ wife, Shyann Owens, leaving the house with two male passengers fitting the description of the robbers, the affidavit stated. The SUV was stopped, and everyone in the vehicle was taken to the Columbus Police Department to be interviewed, the affidavit stated.
The two suspects gave conflicting information to investigators, with Owens denying he was in Edinburgh that day, Lutz said. While Shyann Owens told police she saw her husband come home with three long items wrapped in a Hawaiian cloth, she refused to give consent to have her vehicle and residence searched, according to the affidavit.
After obtaining a search warrant, searches were undertaken that turned up many of the items stolen during the robbery, as well as clothing worn by the robbers, according to the affidavit.
Several glass jars of marijuana buds, as well as a number of smoking devices, were also found in multiple locations, according to the affidavit. In a top bedroom dresser, Lutz found counterfeit $100 bills, as well as more paraphernalia and marijuana, according to the affidavit. In the basement, Columbus police officers found an active marijuana-growing operation, the affidavit stated.
At that point, the narcotics side of the investigation was turned over to the Bartholomew County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team, Lutz said.
Shyann Owens, 24, was arrested on preliminary charges of counterfeiting, forgery, dealing in marijuana, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of paraphernalia, according to local police. She is being held in the Bartholomew County Jail in lieu of $23,500 bond, jail officials said. The couple’s children were not home at the time, and are staying with other family members, Lutz said.
Meanwhile, Jesse Owens and Johns were taken to the jail in Franklin. Bond for each man was set at $40,000 there, jail officials said.
