Three Arrested After Theft at Staged Home

Three Flint residents were taken into custody on Oct. 23 following a larceny incident at a staged home in Bloomfield Township. Officers arrived at the 2000 block of Dell Rose Drive at 2:01 p.m. to investigate a complaint regarding missing items. The suspects, Shawna Stewart, 48, Derek Rohner, 49, and Niakna Russo, 30, were arrested at the scene.

The property owner hired the trio through a Facebook Marketplace listing to clean the residence prior to an estate sale. Upon returning to the house, the owner spotted stolen goods inside the group's vehicle while the crew remained on the premises. The missing items included propane tanks, a Blu-Ray player, alcohol, and toiletries. Rohner told officers that he also took alcohol from the interior of the house.

A search of the vehicle revealed narcotics in a bag belonging to Stewart. Russo admitted to possessing drugs and paraphernalia, which officers also found in her bag. Stewart had additional paraphernalia concealed on her person. In total, police recovered five grams of suspected methamphetamine and two grams of suspected fentanyl from the three individuals.

The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office filed specific charges against each suspect. Stewart faces a 10-year felony count for possession of methamphetamine and a 93-day misdemeanor for receiving and concealing stolen property. Rohner was charged with larceny in a building, a 4-year felony. Russo faces a 4-year felony charge for possession of a controlled substance.

Magistrate Morad handled the arraignment for all three defendants in the 52-1 District Court. Stewart and Russo were released on $5,000 personal recognizance bonds. Rohner received a $7,500 bond, with bail set at 10% of that amount. His attorney, Michael L. Steinberg, was assigned by the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission.

Steinberg noted that the legal team pushes for favorable bond conditions. “We advocate very hard for these people to get good bonds. For a felony, it’s not an unreasonable bond,” Steinberg said. Stewart’s attorney, Marshall S. Tauber, did not respond to requests for comment. Russo’s attorney, Christopher M. Seikaly, declined to discuss the case.

The suspects were transported to the Bloomfield Township Police Department after their initial arrests. The case remains active in the district court system as the defendants await trial dates.