NEW PARIS, Preble County — Two people were arrested after a 60-year-old woman was bound with duct tape and robbed inside a home in the 400 block of South Washington Street Sunday night.
Officers responded to the home around 9:30 p.m. after receiving a 911 call, deputies said.
Jimmie Joe Chasteen, 53, and Marti Lawrence, 39, were arrested at an Eldorado address on West Mill Street after recovering the victim’s items at the residence, deputies said.
Chasteen and Lawerence are both booked on charges of aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, abduction, theft of medication and theft of credit cards. Lawrence also faces a possession of drugs charge connected to suspected methamphetamine, deputies said.
A preliminary investigation showed the victim was sitting in her home when she heard someone enter through an unlocked door, according to deputies.
Chasteen was allegedly wearing a mask over his face and was accused of binding the victim’s hands together with duct tape and allegedly threatened to shoot her with a suspected weapon that he displayed, investigators said.
Chasteen was accused of stealing prescription medication and other items from the house.
Information from neighbors and the victim led deputies to Chasteen and Lawrence.
During the search of the residence and subsequent search of the suspects, deputies located property belonging to the victim, including her purse, credit cards, and a toy weapon believed to have been used by the suspect, deputies said.
Deputies said Lawrence admitted to driving Chasteen to the New Paris home to commit the offense.
Deputies plan to present the case to the Preble County Prosecutor’s Office for formal charges.
