Man wanted for April home invasion in Madison Township

Friday, September 1, 2017
Wanted on a Putnam County warrant is 31-year-old Charles Maybaum. The suspect is 5 feet, 8 inches tall, weight 160 pounds. He is charged with seven felonies relating to an April home invasion in Madison Township.
Courtesy Putnam County Sheriff’s Department

Two other suspects already in custody

Five months after a Madison Township couple was held at gunpoint during a home invasion, police continue their investigation even as three men have been charged in the case.

The three men face seven felonies each for allegedly entering the home of Terry and Pat McCarter on West Walnut Street Road in the early morning hours of April 2 and holding the couple at gunpoint for around an hour as they ransacked the residence.

Two men accused in the case are in police custody, while investigators are seeking information on the whereabouts of a third.

Still on the loose is 31-year-old Charles W. Maybaum. While his last known location was Indianapolis, the suspect has ties to Putnam County.

Maybaum is an African American, 5 feet, 8 inches tall, weighing 160 pounds with a star tattoo on the left side of his neck. According to court documents, his associates refer to him as “Drake,” apparently due to a strong resemblance to the Canadian rapper.

Anyone with information on Maybaum is asked to contact the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office at 653-3211 during business hours or otherwise to call Putnam County Dispatch at 653-5115.

The Putnam County Prosecutor’s Office formally filed charges against Maybaum on June 23, which includes two counts of Level 2 felony burglary, two counts of Level 3 felony armed robbery, Level 3 felony criminal confinement, Level 6 felony theft and Level 6 felony auto theft.

An identical set of charges was filed the same day against 28-year-old Justin Cherry of Indianapolis. Cherry was apprehended and has been housed at the Putnam County Jail since June 30.

With Maybaum still at large and the investigation ongoing, Putnam Superior Court Judge Denny Bridges granted the prosecution’s request that court records be sealed in the cases against Maybaum and Cherry.

However, Maybaum remains free and investigators are hoping a new approach may yield information. On Friday, Circuit Judge Matt Headley granted Putnam County Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter’s request to unseal the records.

In the meantime, a third man was charged in the case last week. Paul E. Reese Jr., 29, Indianapolis, faces an identical set of charges to the other two defendents.

Reese was already in custody in Marion County on unrelated matters, as he faces 13 different charges in three other cases.

According to the probable cause filed by Putnam County Sheriff’s Department Detective Sgt. Pat McFadden, police believe that Maybaum, Reese, Cherry and possibly a fourth man entered the McCarter home at approximately 5:30 a.m. on April 2.

The men allegedly broke a front glass door and then held the McCarters at gunpoint as they ransacked the home, including the attic and basement.

During the incident, Terry McCarter was struck in the temple area with the butt of either a rifle or shotgun.

Among the items stolen were prescriptions, checks, jewelry, a rifle, a handgun, a purse, wallet and cash.

The McCarters also witnessed their Buick Redezvous being driven away.

During the same time frame as the robbery, a utility trailer was also stolen from a nearby property.

Both the vehicle and the trailer were recovered during the next few days in the Spann Avenue area of southeast Indianapolis.

On April 17, a Putnam County search warrant was served on the residence at 3835 Spann Ave., where numerous items from the McCarter residence were located.

Using evidence gathered at the scene, interviews and phone records, police have gathered probable cause for the arrest of all three men.

Cherry is the only one of the three to have appeared in Putnam Circuit Court, as Maybaum remains at large and Reese is otherwise disposed in Indianapolis.

Cherry’s initial hearing took place before Judge Headley on July 3, with a not-guilty plea entered on his behalf, bond set at $40,000 and Sydney Tongret appointed as public defender. A pre-trial conferences is set for Sept. 7.

The investigation is ongoing as authorities search for Charles Maybaum and any others who may have been involved in the robbery or incidents relating to it.

Anyone with information on Maybaum’s whereabouts is again encouraged to contact the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department at 653-3211 or 653-5115.

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