Ottumwa police arrested two suspects following an assault and armed robbery of a local real estate agent Friday afternoon on Ottumwa’s north side.

According to Police Chief Jim Clark, 53-year-old Kathy Sorak was going to show a home at 1120 North Court Street at 5:30 pm Friday, to people who had called the office earlier in the day presenting themselves as prospective buyers. While showing the home to two men and one woman, the two men assaulted Sorak. She was held at knifepoint and tied up. The suspects then took her cell phone, keys, and some cash and fled the scene.

Sorak managed to free herself and ran to the second story of the home where she barricaded herself in a bedroom. She then began sending email messages from the homeowner’s computer, asking for help.

A source who preferred to remain un-named told KLEE and TOM-FM News, the suspects intended to flee in Sorak’s car, but had accidentally taken the keys to the house and not the car during the robbery. The suspects returned inside the home, apparently looking for the car keys. At that time the victim pressed the panic button on her key chain setting off her car alarm just outside the house, and the suspects fled the scene.

In the meantime, a co-worker received Sorak’s email and called 911 emergency. At 6:21 PM. Ottumwa police dispatched officers to the address.

Sorak was taken to the hospital and treated for injuries sustained in the assault, and later released.

Clark said by 8:00 pm police had located the two male suspects in an apartment at 513 North Court, just 6 blocks south of the crime scene. The two men refused to come out from the building. Police kept the building surrounded until 1:46 Saturday morning when a search warrant was obtained. At that time police arrested 24 Year old Matthew James Howard of 513 North Court, and 40 year old Carl Edward Lennie who was listed as homeless, from Ottumwa. Both men are charged with first degree robbery, a class B felony and are held at the on $25,000 bond each.

Iowa court records show that Lennie has a long history of arrests including charges of burglary, assault and assault with intent to commit serious injury. Howard also has a history of arrests including assault charges.

Police say the women involved was also apprehended, questioned and released. No charges have been filed against the women at this time. The incident remains under investigation; additional charges are pending against each Howard and Lennie.

40 year old Carl Edward Lennie (left) and 24 year olf Matthew James Howard (right) both of Ottumwa, were arrested in connection to the assualt of an Ottumwa realtor early Friday evening.

Photos provided by Ottumwa Police Department