A local woman who would allegedly lure clients to her apartment claiming to be a masseuse online and then rob them with the help of a male accomplice was arrested Monday on multiple felony charges.
Karen Suzanne Chadwick, 35, of 108-A Calli Lane, was taken into custody at her residence around 11 a.m. and charged with two counts of aggravated robbery, punishable by up to life in prison, two counts of theft of property obtained by threat of serious physical injury, punishable by up to 20 years, and two counts of breaking or entering, punishable by up to six years.
She remained in custody Tuesday on zero bond and is set to appear today in Garland County District Court.
Her alleged accomplice, Leroy Martin Homan, 38, a parolee who lists an Oscar Point address, was arrested around 4 p.m. Friday on the same charges. Homan appeared Monday via video in district court and pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Judge Joe Graham set his bond at $50,000 and a felony review hearing is scheduled for June 29.
According to the probable cause affidavits, on April 19, a local man reported a robbery, telling Hot Springs police he had responded to an advertisement online for a massage. He contacted the woman in the ad, later identified as Chadwick, and arranged to meet her at her residence at 108 Calli Lane.
The victim said Chadwick directed him to an upstairs bathroom and told him "he would need to clean himself" prior to the massage. After discovering his clothing was gone, the victim attempted to follow Chadwick downstairs and was confronted by a man, later identified as Homan, who acted like he had a gun in his pants.
Homan detained him there while Chadwick allegedly took his keys and went through his vehicle parked outside, taking $850 worth of items, including CDs and prescription sunglasses.
On April 22, a second man reported a robbery under the same circumstances. He told police he also responded to an online ad for a massage from Chadwick and met her at the residence that night.
He also was directed to an upstairs bathroom, told to clean up, and then confronted by Homan when he came out. He said Homan appeared to have a gun and kept him there while Chadwick used his keys to go through his vehicle, removing an iPad, money, a debit card and a lottery ticket, for a total loss of $665.
After Officer 1st Class Tifani McCauley took the second victim's report, she went to the Calli Lane residence and observed a vehicle parked outside. She was able to check the license plate, which returned to Chadwick. Both victims later picked Chadwick out of a photo lineup and identified her as the one who had lured them to her apartment.
That same day, officers were at the Calli Lane residence on an unrelated matter and encountered Homan, who matched the description given by both victims. On April 30, a photo lineup was shown to both victims including Homan's photo and both identified him as the man who had threatened them while Chadwick robbed them.
Local on 05/13/2020