GENOA - Sheriff David Gould reported Thursday that the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office has arrested three persons and are searching for a fourth in connection with a robbery and assault that occurred on Monday April 7th at approximately 1 p.m.

The investigation revealed that a 17-year-old male was taken to a campsite along East Venice Road in the Town of Genoa where he was assaulted by four subjects who then stole his wallet.

The motive for the assault appears to be a disagreement over a drug transaction which occurred the day before, police said. The victim sustained multiple blunt trauma injuries from being struck with a metal pipe and was treated and released from Auburn Memorial Hospital on April 7th.

Three of the suspects were apprehended by sheriff’s detectives at approximately 5:30 p.m. April 7th.

A felony arrest warrant for first-degree robbery has been issued for the fourth suspect. Wanted is Kenneth Kemp, 21, of Moravia.

Arrested were Timothy Sawyer, 39, of Venice, James Sawyer, 19, Moravia, and Joseph Tanner, 18, of Aurora. They have been charged with first-degree robbery and second-degree assault.

All three were arraigned in the Town of Throop Court and remanded to the Cayuga County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond.