2 Liberty juniors charged in home invasion

Police are investigating additional juveniles and expect to make more arrests.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LIBERTY -- Township police have charged two juveniles with several crimes stemming from a March 19 home invasion.
Capt. Richard Tisone said township police have charged a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, both juniors at Liberty High School, each with aggravated robbery, two counts of aggravated burglary and one count of attempted arson.
Tisone said there may soon be more arrests made in the case.
"There are two more Liberty High School juniors we are investigating. We expect to file charges on them soon," he said.
A police report shows that the family of two adults and four teens were in their Logan Arms Drive home just after 7 a.m. March 19 when four males entered. Two of the intruders had guns, and a third had a bottle full of gasoline.
Reports said the intruder carrying the gas went to a rear bedroom and threatened a 27-year-old male resident. Two of the intruders first demanded he give them jewelry, then demanded money.
The resident handed over 5,000 he had reportedly been holding after the sale of a home. After receiving the money, one intruder struck the resident with the gun, and the other poured gasoline on his head.
Before leaving the house, the four intruders held the 27-year-old at gunpoint, pointed a gun at the head of a juvenile and threatened to burn down the house.
Could face adult charges
The two teens are being held at the Trumbull County Family Court Center. Tisone said charges against the two have been filed in juvenile court, but they could be charged as adults. He said some of the charges carry long prison sentences if they are convicted as adults.
"We would like to see them charged as adults, but that will be [the prosecutor's] call," he said.
Tisone said he is unaware of any trouble involving the teens before this investigation. He said police are still working on details that cannot be released.
"There are things that I cannot divulge at this time, but eventually we will know why they went into that house," he said.
jgoodwin@vindy.com