Grand Jury Indicts Six with Charges Related to Murder

Authorities Ask for Assistance in Locating Missing Child

DAYTON – A federal grand jury has charged six individuals with crimes related to the August 2017 murder of Robert Caldwell in an indictment returned here today. Two defendants are charged with death-penalty-eligible crimes.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Riverside Police Chief Frank Robinson and Sugarcreek Township Police Chief Michael Brown announced the charges.

The FBI also announced a $15,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of 14-year-old Jacob Lee Caldwell and the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in his disappearance.

Those charged in the indictment include:

Name	Also Known As	Age	City of Residence
*Sterling H. Roberts		34	Spartanburg, S.C.
*Tawnney M. Caldwell	Tawnney Thomas	33	Centerville, Ohio
Chance P. Deakin	Chance Roberts	25	Dayton, Ohio
Christopher C. Roberts		30	Dayton, Ohio
James T. Harmon		55	Burlington, Ky.
Chandra D. Harmon		54	Burlington, Ky.

* Charged with murder

According to the six-count indictment, from August 1 to August 5, Sterling Roberts cyberstalked Robert Caldwell via cell phone through the assistance of Tawnney Caldwell.

On August 15, Sterling Roberts allegedly used a firearm that he possessed illegally and traveled interstate to stalk and murder Robert Caldwell. Tawnney Caldwell, Deakin, Christopher Roberts and James Harmon are all charged with aiding and abetting the illegal gun possession.

It is alleged that Tawnney Caldwell obstructed justice by destroying the contents and data of a cell phone on that same day. 

Tawnney Caldwell and Chandra Harmon also allegedly conspired to intimidate and threaten witnesses related to the case in November 2017.

Crimes charged in the indictment include:

Crime	Potential Sentence
Stalking – using mail, computer, cell phone	Up to life in prison
Felon in possession of a firearm	Up to 10 years in prison
Stalking – traveling interstate	Up to life in prison
Discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence	Death penalty or up to life in prison
Tampering with evidence	Up to 20 years in prison
Tampering with a witness by intimidation	Up to 20 years in prison

Five of the defendants were arrested on February 28. Sterling Roberts is currently in state custody in South Carolina.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and Riverside and Sugarcreek Township police departments, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Sheila G. Lafferty and Amy M. Smith, who are prosecuting the case.

If you have any information related to the whereabouts of Jacob Caldwell, please call the Sugarcreek Township Police at 937-310-3200 or the FBI at 513-421-4310.

An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.