Young Muncie men join co-defendant in jail after robbery-related arrests

MUNCIE, Ind. — Two young Muncie men have been arrested on allegations they robbed a woman at gunpoint in her southside home, taking her own firearm and $500 in cash.

Calic Arnez Copley, 21, and Zavier Lamar Buchanan, 19, were arrested Saturday on preliminary counts of armed robbery.

A Muncie woman told police that Copley, Buchanan and a third Muncie man — Justin Michael Young, 30 — came to her home along South Pershing Drive on the late morning of Oct. 7.

The victim said she let the men in her home because she knew Copley. Once inside, she said, Copley asked to see her handgun.

Once she had given him her gun, the woman said, Young produced his own firearm — described as a "baby rifle"— from his pants and pointed it at her.

More: Police: Muncie man held after attempted robbery leads to shooting

The woman said Copley told her, "You know what this is," and punched her in the face. The men left her home with her money and her gun, she told investigators.

In a later phone conversation, she said, Copley threatened to kill her for reporting the robbery to police.

In addition to robbery, Copley is also preliminarily charged with battery, intimidation and two counts of theft in connection with the events of Oct. 7.

He continued to be held in the Delaware County jail on Monday under a $70,000 bond.

At the time of his latest arrest, Copley also faced 11 charges filed in Delaware Circuit Court 5 in February — attempted murder, armed robbery, battery with a deadly weapon, theft, pointing a firearm, unlawful carrying of a handgun, intimidation, possession of a narcotic drug and three counts of intimidation.

Buchanan was also preliminarily charged with resisting law enforcement, based on allegations he tried to flee from officers before being apprehended near the Ball State University campus on Saturday.

He was released from the jail early Sunday after posting a $22,500 bond.

The Muncie teen already faced two counts of criminal recklessness filed in Delaware Circuit Court 2 in March.

Young — arrested on Oct. 13 — was charged Monday in Circuit Court 5 with an armed robbery count as a result of the Oct. 7 incident. He faces three other charges — unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, residential entry and resisting law enforcement, stemming from events the day of his arrest.

He was being held under a bond of $82,500.

Young's record includes convictions for armed robbery, robbery and receiving stolen property.

Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Young Muncie men arrested in armed robbery investigation