Potential pleas percolating in home-robbery case

PROVO — There may be deals in the works for several teens who police say were involved in a strong-arm home robbery in Orem that ended with a SWAT standoff.

Attorneys for James Falo, 18, and Berniece Halalilo, 18 — who face 11 felonies, including aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary — both asked for a one-week continuance in 4th District Court Monday, alluding to potential resolutions.

"The prosecutor indicated he would have an offer for us next week," said Mike Petro, who represents Halalilo. "We're kind of at their mercy right now."

Lisa Estrada, court-appointed attorney for Falo, told the judge the only reason she agreed to continue the case was because a resolution might be forthcoming.

Halalilo, Falo and his brother Jacob and were arrested Oct. 9, after holding police officers at bay for nearly four hours outside their Orem apartment at 115 W. 675 North. Police had tracked the group to the apartment after getting a report of a robbery around 2 a.m. that day.

Residents of a home near 1000 E. 800 North reported they awoke to masked men beating them with baseball bats and stealing money and electronics.

Jacob Falo faces the same charges as the other two, plus a felony of possession of a firearm by a restricted person. He was on parole from an aggravated robbery case out of Salt Lake City. His case was continued at the request of his attorney until Nov. 17.

A third male, a juvenile, was also arrested and booked into the youth detention facility.

Although the cases for James Falo and Halalilo were set at the same time, they are being handled completely separately, Petro said.

It's important because Petro said he believes Halalilo is the least culpable. She was only incriminated by the statements of Jacob Falo, who said she was driving the car. Plus, Petro said when police asked the victims about her, none said her name sounded familiar.

Petro recently requested and was granted reduced bail for Halalilo, down to $50,000 cash or bond, down from $250,000 cash-only.

---

E-mail: sisraelsen@desnews.com