Three cleaning workers face theft charges

On Oct. 23, police in Bloomfield Township arrested three Flint residents after finding stolen goods and drugs in their vehicle. The arrests followed a larceny complaint filed at 2:01 p.m. in the 2000 block of Dell Rose Drive.

Shawna Stewart, 48, Derek Rohner, 49, and Niakna Russo, 30, had been hired to clean a home prepared for an estate sale. The property owner found the group on Facebook Marketplace. Upon returning to the residence, the owner spotted items inside the crew's vehicle that did not belong to them. The suspects remained at the scene when officers arrived.

Police identified propane tanks, a Blu-Ray player, alcohol, and toiletries as the stolen property. Rohner told officers he also took alcohol from the house. A search of the vehicle revealed narcotics in a bag belonging to Stewart. Russo admitted to having drugs and paraphernalia on her person, and officers found more paraphernalia concealed on Stewart.

Officers recovered five grams of suspected methamphetamine and two grams of suspected fentanyl from the group. The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office charged Stewart with possession of methamphetamine, a 10-year felony, and receiving and concealing stolen property, a 93-day misdemeanor. Rohner faces larceny in a building, a 4-year felony. Russo was charged with possession of a controlled substance, also a 4-year felony.

All three defendants appeared before Magistrate Morad in the 52-1 District Court. Stewart and Russo were released on $5,000 personal recognizance bonds. Rohner posted a $7,500 bond, with bail set at 10 percent of that amount.

Stewart is represented by Marshall S. Tauber, who did not respond to a request for comment. Russo's attorney, Christopher M. Seikaly, declined to discuss the case. Rohner was assigned Michael L. Steinberg by the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission.

Steinberg stated that his office advocates strongly for favorable bond conditions. He noted that a $7,500 bond is not unreasonable for a felony case.