4 Men Allegedly Held a Woman Captive to Steal Her Stimulus Money
Written by SOURCE on April 25, 2020
Indiana police have confirmed the arrest of four men who are accused of breaking into a woman’s home to steal her stimulus check.
According to legal documents obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times, the suspects entered the residence using a stolen key on Sunday after learning the victim had received a check as part of the government’s coronavirus relief package. The armed men—identified as Paul Blankenship, Phillip Guzman, Jacob Baughman, and Christopher Henderson—allegedly woke up the woman at around 1:30 a.m., took her phone and demanded she hand over the money.
At one point, Henderson allegedly pointed a gun at the woman and said “these are for you,” referring to the bullets. Court documents state Guzman later became frustrated after their hours-long search failed to yield any money, prompting him to assault the woman before the other three could restrain him.
Before leaving the home at around 6 a.m., the men ordered the woman to stay inside as they planned to return. Once the suspects fled, the woman drove to the police station and reported the incident. She also told officers she knew the men.
The Sun-Times reports all four suspects were arrested on Sunday and charged with attempted armed robbery, criminal confinement with a deadly weapon, and burglary with a deadly weapon. Blankenship was ordered to be held without bail, while the others were held on $75,000 bond.
