Court date delayed for IC man charged in home invasion case

Court date delayed for IC man charged in home invasion case
Lang
1/5/19

A court date has been delayed for an Iowa City man accused in a home invasion case.

30-year-old Earl Riley, Jr., of the Hawk Ridge Apartments had a case management conference set for Friday. Instead, on Friday Judge Chad Kepros moved that back February 8th. His trial is still set for January 22nd.

Riley, along with 26-year-old Sullivan Smith-Berry of Hollywood Boulevard, is accused in a Nov. 3, 2017 incident at an unspecified Iowa City apartment. Police say the two men kicked in the door of the apartment, with Smith-Berry holding two male occupants at gunpoint while Riley took cash from them.

They also allegedly assaulted the men by striking them with the rifle and kicking and stomping them. At some point, police say Riley took possession of the rifle while Smith-Berry raped the sister of one of the hostages.

Police say the pair left with an undisclosed amount of cash, a PlayStation 4 and other property.

Each was charged with three counts of 1st Degree Robbery and one count each of 1st Degree Burglary and 2nd Degree Sexual Abuse, charges carrying up to 125 years in prison.

Smith-Berry is scheduled to stand trial on March 12th.