May 20—Three men were in Westmoreland County Prison on Saturday after they were charged with a violent home invasion in Latrobe.
According to city police, Edwardo Romero-Gross, Paul Kline and Christian Long work black face masks as they forced entry into an apartment on Lincoln Avenue early Friday morning. They allegedly demanded money and attacked the victim, who told police he was punched in the face by a man wearing brass knuckles and hit over the head with a flat screen television.
Gross, 22, of New Derry, was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, robbery, burglary, conspiracy and receiving stolen property. He is being held in jail in lieu of a $100,000 bond. According to court records, Romero-Gross, originally identified as “CHOPO,” was released from jail in April on a $10,000 bond after he was charged with unrelated counts of making terroristic threats and harassment.
Kline, 30, and Long, 22, no address available, were charged with robbery, burglary, theft, conspiracy and receiving stolen property and remained in jail Saturday in lieu of $50,000 bonds.
Latrobe police on its Facebook page said surveillance video was used to identify the suspects.
According to police, Kline and Long admitted their involvement in the home invasion.
A search of Romero-Gross’s home recovered items suspected to have been taken in the robbery as well as a handgun with an obliterated serial number, according to police.
Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Rich by email at rcholodofsky@triblive.com or via Twitter .