An Oil City man already facing charges for allegedly masterminding the robbery of an elderly couple in Polk last year is now facing additional charges related to incidents in Oil City shortly after the Polk robbery that involved two women.
Oil City police said in a criminal complaint that David Adams, 33, terrorized the women at a Hone Avenue home during the summer of 2022.
Tyler Burns, 20, of Dillsburg, is also accused of terrorizing one of the women at the residence. Burns is one of the three men in addition to Adams who are facing charges connected to the Polk robbery last July.
Oil City police said they were contacted last July 14 by Franklin state police to complete a welfare check on a woman at the Hone Avenue home.
Franklin state police told Oil City police they had uncovered a photo of a woman tied up and had identified her as the person who lived at that residence, according to the complaint.
Oil City police were initially unable to contact the woman when they went to her residence that day, the complaint said.
During an interview with the woman later, she told police that three men — Adams, Burns and another man not identified in criminal complaints — tied her up using wires, threatened her, held a gun to her head, causing substantial fear of death or serious bodily injury; and took a photo of her tied up, according to the complaint.
After the photo was taken, the woman said Adams would frequently enter her house without her knowledge or permission and also followed her children when they would leave the house and walk in public, the complaint said.
At some point, the complaint notes, Adams wouldn’t let her leave the house for about one week.
She also told police that when police arrived at the residence on July 14 for the welfare check, Burns was there and he wouldn’t allow her to answer police, and held her to the floor with a gun to her head and threatened her, the complaint said.
The woman also related that at one point, Adams held her and another woman in a room at her residence for several hours, threatening them and striking them, the complaint said.
Police also interviewed the other woman who confirmed Adams held them in a room and subjected them to what she described as “mental hell” until her mother came to their aid, the complaint said.
Adams has been charged with two felony counts of kidnap to inflict injury/terror, a felony count of aggravated assault and two misdemeanor counts each of unlawful restraint/serious bodily injury and terroristic threats.
He was placed in the Venango County jail after being unable to post bail, and his preliminary hearing is scheduled June 28 in Central Court.
In November, Burns was charged with felony counts of kidnapping to inflict injury or terror, conspiracy- kidnapping to inflict injury or terror and aggravated assault and misdemeanor counts of unlawful restraint and terroristic threats.
Burns is also facing numerous charges in several other unrelated cases in Venango County, including robbery, attempted aggravated assault and kidnapping.
Burns, earlier this month, pleaded not guilty to the charges of terrorizing the woman. He is currently incarcerated in Mercer state prison.
Adams and Burns are also facing charges in connection to the robbery in Polk the morning of July 10, 2022.
Burns and another man, Chase Shehan, 21, of Dover, are accused of breaking into an elderly couple’s house, tying them up, holding them at gunpoint and stealing about $1,500 worth of coins, jewelry and an old pistol from them, according to a criminal complaint filed by Franklin state police.
Adams, who formerly worked for the couple and has a child by one of their close relatives, is accused of planning the robbery, the complaint said.
After the robbery, Adams met Burns and the others involved in the robbery at the house on Hone Avenue, where they tied up the woman several days later, the complaint said.
