Red Bank Police Arrest Woman They Say Planned Home Invasion

Some Stolen Items Recovered In Blount County

Friday, March 12, 2010

Red Bank Police have arrested a fourth person in the home invasion on Knollwood Drive last Saturday - a woman officers say planned the strong arm robbery.

Taken into custody was Mona Ray, 47, of 2810 Joker Road in Dandridge, Tn. She is being held on charges of especially aggravated robbery, especially aggravated burglary, especially aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy.

Sgt. Dan Knight said Ms. Ray at one time lived at the Knollwood Drive address with victim Jewel Berg. He said she told the other three defendants about items Ms. Berg had at the house and told them where they could find them.

Sgt. Knight also said that the man charged in the case, Steve Hannah of Blount County, has also been charged with burglarizing a home in Red Bank on Goodson Avenue.

He said Red Bank officers carried out a search at Hannah's grandmother's house in Blount County and found items taken in the Goodson Avenue burglary as well as items from the Knollwood Drive home invasion.

Sgt. Knight said Hannah has a lengthy criminal record and recently got out of prison.

Also charged in the case are Misty Wilson and Brandie Brandon, both of Maryville.

Sgt. Knight said Hannah initially went to Ms. Berg's home posing as a census worker to scope it out.

He said Hannah along with the two women returned to the residence last Friday night, but wound up burglarizing the Goodson Avenue house instead.

They returned on Saturday morning to Knollwood Drive to find Ms. Berg cleaning out her garage with her boyfriend, Ahwazi Bijan. They pulled up in the driveway in a black older-model Camaro.

Ms. Berg remembered them as the "census workers" she had seen before.

Police said a man and a woman came inside the garage, then shut the garage door. The woman had a gun, but it did not appear to be real.

Ms. Berg struggled with the woman and bit her on the hand. Police said that enraged Hannah and he began to kick Ms. Berg and hit her with an object he found in the garage.

The couple was then tied up with zip ties that bound their arms and legs. A cut extension cord was tied in a knot around Mr. Bijan's neck.

The robbers took Mr. Bijan's wallet and demanded Ms. Berg's purse. She told them it was out in her vehicle.

Police said the other woman also had a gun, and she went upstairs right as "as if she were looking for something of value."

After the trio drove off, Mr. Bijan broke free and ran two doors down to get help. Neighbors went to the aid of Ms. Berg and freed her from the cords.

The first officer who arrived found blood all over the face of Ms. Berg. She was so injured that she was unable to tell the officer what happened. An ambulance transported her to Erlanger Hospital.

Sgt. Knight said some items taken are still missing, including some guns and electronic items. He said officers have learned that Hannah sold one of the guns after arriving back in Blount County.


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