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Harrisburg man convicted on home invasion, armed robbery charges faces possible 100 year prison sentence

HARRISBURG, Pa. – A Harrisburg man faces a possible 100 year prison sentence following his conviction for a 2014 home invasion and armed robbery in Lower ...
Shawn Stewart

HARRISBURG, Pa. – A Harrisburg man faces a possible 100 year prison sentence following his conviction for a 2014 home invasion and armed robbery in Lower Swatara Township.

A Dauphin County jury deliberated just shy of two hours before finding Shawn A. Stewart, 37,  guilty of all counts, including Robbery, Burglary, Conspiracy to Robbery, Conspiracy to Burglary, Conspiracy to Unlawful Restraint, Conspiracy to False Imprisonment, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Simple Assault, Theft and Criminal Use of a Communication Facility. Following the verdict, presiding Judge, John F. Cherry, directed that Stewart’s bail be set at $1 million, with no bond acceptable.

The charges stemmed from a violent home invasion and armed robbery that occurred mid-morning on January 6, 2014, on the 2200 block of Georgetown Road.   Stewart, along with two unknown accomplices, knocked on the townhouse door where the 71 year-old victim was temporarily living with his daughter and grandsons. Upon opening the door, one of the three assailants brandished a handgun, and all three suspects forced their way into the home.

Once inside the 71 year old victim was ordered to the floor at gunpoint where his hands where zip-tied behind his back and his head covered. Approximately 10 minutes later, the three exited the townhouse, taking only a single suitcase from the upstairs bedroom.

During their investigation Lower Swatara Township Police detectives learned that Stewart had specifically targeted the home while he was in an intimate relationship with the victim’s 39 year-old daughter, believing in error that there was a large sum of cash hidden in the house.

During the three day trial, jurors heard evidence from the 71 year-old victim, his daughter, and investigating detectives. Further, jurors were presented with expert testimony from a Special Agent with the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force in the area of historical cellular phone records analysis, as well as testimony from an intelligence analyst from the Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Intelligence Center (PaCiC).

Judge Cherry set Stewart’s sentencing for August 3.

The police investigation remains ongoing for Stewart’s uncharged accomplices.

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