Brandy M. Rombold

A Lawrence County woman was sentenced Thursday to state prison, after being charged in two Butler County cases in relation to a multicounty crime spree in July that included burglaries, robberies and an attempted homicide.

Brandy M. Rombold, 40, of Ellwood City, was sentenced to 1 to 2 years in a state correctional facility by Butler County Judge William Shaffer. She was also ordered to pay court costs and restitution.

Rombold pleaded guilty May 2 to three consolidated felony counts of burglary and one misdemeanor count of theft.

She was initially charged with felony attempted theft, three counts of burglary, criminal trespass and theft, as well as misdemeanor theft and criminal mischief after incidents on July 1 in Butler and Cranberry townships.

State police filed the charges against Rombold and Tyler M. Amos, 26, of Cochranton, Crawford County, following a string of incidents between June 29 and July 1. Donald G. McClain III, 46, also was charged in Lawrence County and was arrested in Ellwood City.

Rombold and Amos face attempted homicide, kidnapping, robbery, burglary, theft and conspiracy charges, while McClain was charged with conspiracy and gun charges after the incident in Lawrence County. Rombold will now be returned to Lawrence County to face those charges. Amos was set to be sentenced Thursday as well, but that proceeding was continued for unspecified reasons.

Police said the incidents began when the suspects burglarized Cable Hardwoods, a saw mill on Portersville Road in Perry Township, Lawrence County, just west of the Butler County line. McClain, a former employee, knew the business was closed on Saturdays and how to get in, police said.

Police said all three are known users and manufacturers of methamphetamine.

Amos and Rombold then allegedly continued their crime spree after ditching the stolen car, which was later found burned in a nearby field. Authorities said they continued burglarizing buildings, including one in Butler Township, and stealing vehicles including one during a home burglary on Hummingbird Hill in Cranberry Township. Two firearms also were stolen in that incident, police said.

The suspects eventually drove to Cadiz in northeastern Ohio, where Harrison County deputy sheriffs spotted the white Highlander, which was equipped with a GPS tracking system that was used by police find the vehicle on a secluded road.

When the suspects saw the deputies, Rombold surrendered immediately, but Amos ran off, sparking a manhunt that lasted several hours before he was arrested.

Twelve burglaries were investigated in relation to the crime spree, and Amos and Rombold admitted to seven of those break-ins, according to investigators. Amos previously pleaded guilty to three consolidated felony counts of burglary and one misdemeanor count of theft in his related Butler County cases, and is expected to be sentenced to 15 to 30 months in state prison.

Both continue to be held on $250,000 bail for the Lawrence County case.