Trio charged with breaking into Rathdrum home

Three people accused of bursting into a Rathdrum home heavily armed, intimidating and beating a group of minors, and stealing or destroying merchandise valued at more than $1,000 are behind bars two days after the incident.

Trinity A. Chavez, 19, of Post Falls, John M. Souza, 20, a transient, and Michael J. Root, 18, of Rathdrum were charged Friday in First District Court with felony criminal conspiracy and robbery after their arrest by Rathdrum police. They are in the Kootenai County jail on $100,000 bail.

Police said the trio wore red bandannas and carried rifles, pistols and knives when just before dark on Wednesday they entered a home on the 8100 block of California Street in Rathdrum, where several minors were gathered.

At least one of the men “came into the house (carrying a rifle) and then another male came through the rear sliding door carrying a pistol and a (woman) came out of the rear bedroom carrying a pistol,” according to a police report.

The trio targeted one of the alleged victims, punching him several times in the face, according to a police report.

One of the minor-age victims left the residence afterward and told his parents, who reported the incident to police.

The homeowners reported missing more than $1,000 worth of merchandise including a silver watch, a jewelry box, a laptop computer, and cash.

The victims alleged the suspects made them turn over their cellphones, which were destroyed by Chavez.

“(She) took a knife and broke all of our phones,” one of the victims told police.

Chavez also allegedly threatened to “stick a knife in his liver,” if he called police. Other victims reported that one of the suspects told them “If anyone talks, I’ll put a slug in your leg.”

The suspects were rounded up and interviewed by police a day later. Authorities said that at least one of the firearms alleged to have been used in the case was an airsoft rifle. The trio will have a preliminary hearing within 14 days if they remain in jail, and within 21 days if they post bond. Robbery carries a penalty of up to life in prison.