Joplin man to stand trial in Carterville robbery case
Apr. 16—A 32-year-old Joplin man waived a preliminary hearing Thursday on charges he is facing from a 2019 home-invasion robbery and assault in Carterville.
Jordan T. Romero waived the hearing in Jasper County Circuit Court on charges of first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, second-degree assault and armed criminal action. Associate Judge Joe Hensley set the defendant's initial appearance in a trial division of the court for May 24.
Romero is accused of involvement in the June 15, 2019, home-invasion robbery of Paul Roseberry.
A probable-cause affidavit states that Roseberry woke up to find two men in his home on South Maple Street in Carterville. One was holding what appeared to be a metal bat, and they were demanding that he give them money. When he told them he had no money, the one with the bat began hitting him with it on his back, side, head and face.
Roseberry wrested the bat from his assailant's hands, and the two fled with his car keys and cellphone, and drove off in his Ford Explorer.
Carterville police tied Romero to the crime when the vehicle was recovered with a receipt from a commercial metal recycling business in it made out to the defendant, according to the affidavit. Video footage from the business allegedly showed Romero driving the Explorer, and the victim picked his photo out of a police photo lineup.
