Metro

Two city residents are behind bars after allegedly coordinating and carrying out an attack on two men they believed stole a large amount of money and several bricks of heroin from a third imprisoned individual.

Amy Jo Burke, 56, and Christopher Jacob Sensabaugh, 20, were arraigned on May 15 and 20, respectively. They face three felony counts each of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, as well as single felony counts each of aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, criminal trespass and conspiracy to commit criminal trespass. They were also charged with single misdemeanor counts of theft, conspiracy to commit theft, simple assault and conspiracy to commit simple assault.

Burke and Sensabaugh are remanded to the Blair County Prison in lieu of their $400,000 and $500,000 bails, respectively.

The charges stem from an assault that occurred in a residence along the 400 block of 47th Avenue about 10 a.m. May 11. The victim and a witness were in the residence’s basement when two males, one later identified as Sensabaugh, entered and began to assault the victim while demanding to know the whereabouts of Todd Finochio’s money, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Online court documents state that Finochio, 53, has not been charged in the case, but is being held at the Blair County Prison on drug charges and fleeing police in two other cases.

The victim was tased multiple times and ultimately struck in the face with a metal object by Sensabaugh while he was on the ground. The second assailant searched the basement before destroying the victim’s phone, the police report states.

While the victim was being assaulted, a second witness entered the basement and was told by Sensa­baugh to go back upstairs because the situation didn’t involve him. The two men then received some sort of cellular communication and left through the basement door, where they ambushed the second victim, the report states.

The two men beat the second victim with their fists and a metal pole-like object while Sensabaugh asked about Finochio’s money. Sensabaugh told the victim he had two days to find the money or they would be back, and took the second victim’s cellphone and necklace, the report states.

Officers reported that the second victim went to UPMC Altoona for treatment and received 11 stitches and four staples to his head and face.

A third witness, who also lives at the residence, picked Sensabaugh out of a photo lineup and told officers that Finochio’s girlfriend, Burke, believed the first victim stole a safe containing drug money from Finochio’s home. With this information, officers began monitoring Finochio’s jail calls and found that, on the day of the attack, Burke told Finochio she had someone “working on getting the people that owe you money,” according to the affidavit.

The pair discussed Finochio’s cases, and Burke said it was the first victim who got Finochio arrested. Finochio told Burke the missing safe contained about $10,000. Burke said that by the time Finochio is out of prison, the victims “probably won’t be around anymore, I’ve taken care of that.” Finochio then told Burke to message the first witness and tell her to return the money or she is dead, the report states.

Officers reported that a separate jail call between another individual and Roaring Spring resident Shannon Nicole Beard revealed that a $300 hit had been put on the second victim.

Beard, 34, is facing identical charges to Burke and Sensabaugh, although the case remains inactive. Her bail was set at $300,000, but it is unclear if she is in custody.

In the call, the individual told Beard that Finochio wants the victims’ teeth before saying he wants the second victim’s whole neck. Beard then told the individual that the victims had stolen about $200,000 and five bricks of heroin from Finochio, the report states.

The first victim told officers that Burke had him remove a small safe from Finochio’s residence, but that he had given it to Burke. He said Burke had the second victim open the safe because she didn’t have a key. He denied taking the safe or having any other knowledge of it, according to the affidavit.

Burke and Sensabaugh are scheduled for preliminary hearings in front of Magisterial District Judge Daniel C. DeAntonio on May 27 and June 3, respectively.