3 are charged in violent Utah County robbery

PROVO — Three Utah County teens who police say broke into an Orem home and beat the occupants with a baseball bat now face a string of first-degree felony charges.

Jacob Falo, 19, his brother James Falo, 18, and Berniece Halalilo, 18, appeared before 4th District Judge Steven Hansen Friday to each face 11 charges, including five counts of aggravated robbery, five counts of aggravated kidnapping and one count of aggravated burglary.

Jacob Falo also was charged with possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person due to a parole violation from an aggravated robbery conviction out of Salt Lake County.

Family and friends filled the courtroom to hear the charges Friday but left without wanting to talk about the arrests.

Orem police Thursday were called by residents of a home near 1000 E. 800 North who said that they had been awakened at 2 a.m. when three masked men broke in their home and began attacking them with baseball bats and threatening them with a silver handgun, said Orem Police Lt. Doug Edwards.

One of the five people in the house, a 19-year-old man, tried to fight off the men and was hit repeatedly with the bat, Edwards said.

Jacob Falo, James Falo and a 17-year-old juvenile told police they came to the house because Jacob Falo had previously purchased drugs there and expected to find more drugs and money.

Police are still investigating that allegation, Edwards said.

However, when no drugs were found, the attackers demanded money and took stereo equipment, computers and cell phones, then threatened to kill the residents if they called the police, Edwards said.

But after they left, the victims called officers and gave a description of the attackers. Some of the residents were taken to the hospital.

The suspects were spotted a few hours later by a Utah Valley University officer and followed to some condos near 250 South and 1200 West. There, the officer found an abandoned car containing electronics and a bloody baseball bat, according to a police affidavit filed in court.

The investigators tracked Halalilo and Falo to a home at 1115 W. 675 North and learned that all four of the suspects were inside the home, according to the affidavit.