3 accused of W. Sunbury armed break-in
WEST SUNBURY — Three men, two from Detroit, are behind bars on six-figure bails stemming from an alleged armed break-in Wednesday in the borough.
Toting guns, state police said, the trio is accused of entering a home on Main Street, punching a woman in the face and making off with another handgun.
A contingent of troopers quickly tracked the men to the home of one of the suspects in Clay Township, authorities said, where they also seized a handgun and suspected heroin and marijuana.
Arrested for burglary and other charges were Robert M. Codispot Jr., 31, of Clay Township; and Davion A. Johnson, 19, and Eric D. Purnell, 48, both of Detroit.
The defendants are in the Butler County Prison on $100,000 bail each in connection with the suspected armed break-in. Additional charges are pending against all three, police said.
Police initially were called to the home on the 100 block of Main Street in West Sunbury around 10:30 a.m. for a reported home invasion and kidnapping.
The homeowner, a 57-year-old man, recounted being there with two women, ages 28 and 29, when he saw a car pull up, police said.
The man went outside and saw Codispot, who was holding a pistol, Cpl. Michael Lewis said Thursday. But he apparently didn't recognize the other two suspects, who also had guns.“We believe (the defendants) went there in an attempt to get back a handgun they believed had been stolen,” Lewis said.Specifically, they thought the 28-year-old woman, who police identified as Brittany D. Williams, had the gun they wanted back, investigators said.The homeowner told police that he “feared for his life and let the three males enter his residence,” according to charging documents.The defendants, once inside, punched Williams in the face multiple times, Lewis said. She apparently turned over a pistol to the men, who she knew.Police said she suffered facial bruising and swelling in the attack.Nothing else was reported taken and the suspects drove away. Unknown to the homeowner, the 29-year-old woman voluntarily left with the men. Lewis noted that was the reason the initial call also reported a kidnapping.The investigation led police to Codispot's home on Muddy Creek Drive around 12:30 p.m. Believing there was an abduction, at least 10 troopers showed up — service pistols drawn — and surrounded the house.Codispot opened the door for police, Lewis said. He allegedly denied anyone else was inside. But troopers subsequently found Johnson and Purnell hiding upstairs.
While in the house, Lewis said, police noticed a gun that matched the victims' description of the pistol Codispot had during the alleged burglary.They backed out and obtained a search warrant for the house. The warrant was executed around 1:30 p.m.Lewis said police seized the pistol that they had seen earlier. No other guns were found. Police also allegedly seized $1,000, and a small amount of suspected heroin and marijuana.Authorities later found the 29-year-old woman at a different location. Police interviewed the woman as well as the other two victims in the armed break-in, at the barracks in Butler Township.District Judge Kevin O'Donnell that night arraigned all three suspects on charges of burglary, terroristic threats, simple assault and harassment.Police asked the judge to impose high bail, pointing out, in part, that guns were involved in the crime. They also deemed Johnson and Purnell as flight risks.O'Donnell set bail at $100,000 each. Johnson also is being held on an arrest warrant out of Lawrence County for felony drug possession.Lewis said the investigation continues and police plan to file additional charges against all three defendants.Williams, meanwhile, was also placed in the county prison on at least two bench warrants on unrelated criminal cases.
