Lang
6/30/19
An Iowa City man accused in a home invasion case has reached a plea deal with prosecutors.
30-year-old Earl Riley, Jr., of the Hawks Ridge Apartments entered a guilty plea Friday in Johnson County District Court.
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 was convicted on all counts. He’s required to serve at least 70% of a 75-year sentence. He will also be put on the Iowa Sex Offender registry for life.
Details of Riley’s plea agreement are not listed in online records, and a sentencing date has not yet been set.
