NEW PALESTINE — Police say a woman lured a man she met on Facebook to her New Palestine home where her friend robbed him at gunpoint, threatening him with a pistol and firing a shot into the air when he didn’t comply with demands to hand over money.
Prosecutors this week filed felony charges against Cameron M. Werden, 21, 1849 S. County Road 100E, Greenfield, and Shala Barnes, 20, 3851 S. County Road 450W, New Palestine, after a man told investigators he was robbed by them early Monday.
The victim told police he was exchanging messages with Barnes on social media Monday morning when she asked him to come to her home, according to court documents.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]
When the victim arrived at Barnes’ home at about 5:45 a.m. Monday, a man, later identified as Werden, came up to his car, yelled and pointed a gun at him while demanding he hand over money, the victim told police.
Werden fired a shot into the air when the victim didn’t move quickly enough and shouted that “he wasn’t playing around,” according to court documents.
The victim called 911 immediately after the incident, records show.
Werden refused to speak with officers when they arrived at the scene and asked for a lawyer, records show.
Barnes, however, agreed to answer questions and told police Werden planned the robbery just prior to the victim arriving in New Palestine, according to court documents.
Barnes told investigators that Werden saw a photograph of the man she was exchanging messages with and asked, “Does he have money?” court documents state.
Barnes said Werden told her, “I’m robbing him. I have a gun, and I’m going to take everything he has,” court documents state.
Barnes was inside the home and watched as Werden approached the victim’s vehicle, court documents state. She confirmed Werden fired the gun into the air as if to threaten the man, court document state.
Werden and Barnes were arrested Monday and held in jail overnight while investigators weighed their charges.
Tuesday afternoon, prosecutors filed two charges against Barnes and five against Werden, according to court records.
Barnes faces one Level 3 felony count of robbery while armed with a deadly weapon and one Level 3 felony count of conspiracy to commit robbery, records show.
She was being held in the Hancock County Jail on a $10,000 cash bond at press time.
Werden faces one Level 3 felony count of robbery while armed with a deadly weapon; one Level 3 felony count of conspiracy to commit robbery; one Level 5 felony count of intimidation; one Level 6 felony count of criminal recklessness while armed with a deadly weapon; and one Level 6 felony count of pointing a firearm, records show.
He was being held in the Hancock County Jail on a $25,000 cash bond at press time.