Accused Robber, Two Others Try To Stop Witness From Testifying

In the end, multiple people are facing numerous charges stemming from two robberies that allegedly occurred in Dearborn County in 2018.

Eli Ramey. Photo by the Dearborn County Sheriff's Office. Mugshots for others allegedly involved were not made available. 

(Dearborn County, Ind) - Three Dearborn County residents are accused of trying to stop a witness from testifying about a 2018 robbery.  

Eli Ramey, of West Harrison, and Richard Oldfield and Chelsea Tyler, both of Lawrenceburg, are charged with Conspiracy to Commit Obstruction of Justice (Level 6 Felony) and Conspiracy to Commit Intimidation (Level 6 Felony). 

According to a probable cause affidavit, a witness in an upcoming trial, State v. Eli Ramey, had been threatened by Oldfield the night before a deposition on November 22. 

Police say Ramey, who is incarcerated in the Dearborn County Law Enforcement Center on robbery and drug charges, asked his former bunkmate, Oldfield to make sure the witness, Joseph Gyarmati, did not come to the deposition. 

According to a probable cause affidavit, Oldfield contacted Gyarmati and/or members of his family between November 1 and November 26 and threatened to "kill" if Joseph showed up for his deposition. 

A visitation video from the Dearborn County Law Enforcement Center caught Oldfield and Tyler talking with Ramey. At one point, Oldfield allegedly told Ramey, "don't worry about it, we got him." 

Ramey has been incarcerated in Dearborn County Jail since May of 2018. He is accused repeatedly beating a man with brass knuckles then making off with a pair of Air Jordan sneakers, a Michael Kors wrist watch, U.S. currency, four ounces of methamphetamine and a Taurus .40 caliber handgun.

On April 24, 2018, shortly after the robbery, the victim, Caleb Ludwick, along with two others, showed up at Gyarmati's camper on Texas Gas Road. Ludwick and another male, both armed with handguns, allegedly battered Gyarmati and stole his cell phone and the keys to his vehicle. The trio was charged with Robbery with a Deadly Weapon, Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Criminal Confinement and Conspiracy to Commit Criminal Confinement. 

Ludwick gave police a statement this past February, stating that Gyarmati participated in the robbery with Ramey. Ludwick added that Gyarmati kicked him in the head and helped Ramey secure drug's from his car. 

Gymarti denied knowing of any plan, planning or participating in the robbery of Ludwick. 

Dearborn County Sheriff's detectives reviewed two recorded calls from April 29, 2018, that were recovered from Ramey's girlfriends' phone. In one call, Gyarmati allegedly stated to Ramey, "you were supposed to go with that **** and rob him and not bring him to where I'm on house arrest."

In a second call, detectives say Gyarmati repeatedly asked for Ramey to throw him some "cheese", or money. At that time, Gyarmati allegedly told detectives that he knew there was a plan to rob Ludwick, but he did not think it would happen when it did. Gyarmati also allegedly expected to receive hush money for keeping quiet about the robbery. 

Charges against Ramey and Gyarmati were filed in Dearborn County Circuit Court on November 26. 

Ramey is charged with Dealing in Methamphetamine Over Ten Grams (Level 2 Felony), Possession of Methamphetamine Over 28 Grams (Level 3 Felony), Robbery While Armed With a Deadly Weapon (Level 3 Felony), Robbery Resulting in Bodily Injury (Level 3 Felony), Conspiracy to Commit Robbery With a Deadly Weapon (Level 3 Felony), Conspiracy to Commit Robbery Resulting in Bodily Injury (Level 3 Felony), and Conspiracy to Commit Robbery Resulting in Bodily Injury (Level 3 Felony).

Gyarmati is charged with Robbery While Armed With a Deadly Weapon (Level 3 Felony), Robbery Resulting in Bodily Injury (Level 3 Felony), Conspiracy to Commit Robbery With a Deadly Weapon (Level 3 Felony), Conspiracy to Commit Robbery Resulting in Bodily Injury (Level 3 Felony), Conspiracy to Commit Robbery Resulting in Bodily Injury (Level 3 Felony) and False Informing (Class B Misdemeanor).