Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LONG BEACH - San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a suspect January 31 believed to have robbed banks in Pasadena, Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga. San Bernardino County man Steven Ray Simmons, 48, was located by San Bernardino County deputies at a Long Beach motel. Evidence found in Simmons’ motel room linked him to a Pasadena bank robbery, according to the Pasadena Police Department. A Chase Bank, 132 E. Colorado Blvd., was robbed January 30 at 2:14 p.m. A demand note was handed to the bank teller. The suspect fled before officers arrived and escaped with $3,200, Pasadena police said. The FBI responded to investigate the Pasadena robbery and believed the suspect also previously committed bank robberies in Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga.
“Pasadena police detectives collaborated with Ontario Police Department and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department to determine if, in fact, it was the same suspect. All available evidence suggests the same suspect is responsible for the three robberies,” Pasadena Police said in a written statement. Anyone with information about this case is urged to call the Pasadena Police Department at 626-744-4241. Information can be provided anonymously by calling L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477); through the P3 Tips mobile app, or at lacrimestoppers.org. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Two men charged with capital murder in the stabbing death of a West Covina man pleaded not guilty Thursday. La Verne man Elijah Thomas Rouse, 18, and 37-year-old Shaun Cardarelli, of San Gabriel, are of accused of killing John Aguila during the commission of a robbery. The murder charge includes that both men used a knife during the commission of a crime, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Both suspects are also accused of conspiracy to commit arson. Whether or not to seek the death penalty will be determined at a later date, the district attorney’s office said.
Prosecutors accuse the suspects of killing Aguila in his West Covina apartment in late August 2019. Aguila was wrapped in a blanket along with cellophane, his body bound with duct tape. The suspects used his 2017 Honda Civic to take his body to San Bernardino county where it was dumped off a road in Upland, doused in gasoline and set on fire. A third man Davone Anthony Smith, 26, Also faces a conspiracy charge to commit arson, and a felony count of being an accessory after the fact. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - A reported robbery suspect who fled into the wilderness after a pursuit crash was taken into custody around 1:46 a.m. Monday. The suspect allegedly robbed someone along Angeles Crest Highway just before 1:30 a.m. September 16. The suspect was quickly found near mile marker 29 and detained at gunpoint, but fled in a vehicle, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s radio traffic. The suspect fled, at times as fast as 65 miles per hour, in what was initially described as a grey Jeep south on Angeles Crest until the suspect crashed and possibly disabled a front tire around mile marker 27.3. The suspect stopped and fled the vehicle into the wilderness, but ultimately surrendered. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - Two counts each of murder, second-degree robbery and one count of attempted murder have been filed against the 30-year-old man who went on a crime spree that left two people dead. Rhett McKenzie Nelson of St. George, Utah is scheduled for arraignment in the Foltz Criminal Justice Center Thursday. the charges include special allegations of multiple murders and murder by means of discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle and allegations of using a handgun in the commission of crimes, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Nelson is being held without bail. Those killed in Nelson’s crime spree are Dmitry Koltsov, shot dead in Central Los Angeles June 10 and Joseph Gilbert Solano, a 13-year veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The latter was shot inside an Alhambra Jack In the Box about an hour after the Los Angeles murder.
“Hours after shooting Solano, the defendant committed two robberies in Long Beach, one at a Shell gas station and the other at a 7-Eleven,” Santiago said. If convicted as charged, Nelson faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. A decision on the possibility of capital punishment will be determined at a later date, Santiago said. Email Newsletter! | Advertise! | Donate! Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LA HABRA - Detectives from La Habra Police and the Sheriff’s Industry Station are investigating three suspects accused of being involved in a Hacienda Heights home invasion robbery Tuesday. After Industry detectives identified a stolen vehicle they believe was used in the home invasion robbery, they learned La Habra officers had the vehicle and were searching for the suspects, according to Lt. James Long of the Sheriff’s Industry Station. La Habra officers found a stolen gold 2008 Acura at a Chevron ExtraMile, 110 S. Harbor Blvd., before Noon. It is believed to be the same car seen fleeing the area of the home invasion, according to Sgt. Jose Rocha of the La Habra Police Department. Three suspects fled the Acura when La Habra officers attempted to contact them, setting off a containment search, Rocha said.
Two 17-year-olds and an 18-year-old were found and taken into custody without further incident, Rocha said. There was property inside the Acura that detectives are working to link to the Hacienda Heights home invasion, Rocha said. The home invasion occurred around 10:30 a.m. in the 16000 block of Santa Bianca Drive Tuesday. Three suspects, one of them reported armed, entered a window and took $300 in cash, according to Sgt. David Cortinas of the Sheriff’s Industry Station. Email Newsletter! | Advertise! | Donate! Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - A suspect accused of committing 24 robberies across SoCal pleaded guilty to one felony county of second-degree robbery Thursday. Michael Anthony Tapia, 52, also admitted to allegations of two prior felony convictions. He was immediately sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison, according to Paul Eakins of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Tapia committed the 24 robberies over a seven-month period from June 2017 to January 2018.
The felony complaint only regarding crimes committed within Los Angeles County. Tapia was accused of a total of 40 cell phone store robberies across SoCal, including cities in Orange County and San Bernardino County. Tapia was convicted of second-degree robbery in 1998 and attempted second-degree robbery in 2001. “Under the terms of a negotiated plea agreement, the defendant waived all credit for time already served in jail and is required to pay restitution to all of the victims named in the case,” Eakins said in a written statement. The West Covina Police Department investigated Tapia, along with surrounding police agencies. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor SAN DIMAS - Nearly four years after a fast food restaurant owner was gunned down outside his own business, the suspect accused of pulling the trigger has entered a plea. Sergey Gutsu, 26, pleaded not guilty May 9 to one count of murder with a special circumstance allegation that the crime was committed during a robbery, according to Paul Eakins of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Gutsu also faces one count of second-degree robbery and two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, which are all felonies. The charges include firearm allegations, Eakins said. The murder charge coupled with the special circumstance allegation makes Gutsu eligible for the death penalty, Eakins said. Pravin Patel, the 62-year-old owner of the San Dimas Quiznos shop, was shot in an altercation with an armed robbery suspect around 3:20 p.m. June 2, 2015. The suspect fled on foot from the now-defunct Quiznos, 1034 W. Arrow Hwy. Before being shot, Patel gave up an undisclosed amount of cash to the suspect who also threatened patrons at the restaurant. As the suspect exited, Patel followed him and struggled over the cash. Patel died at a hospital that day. Gutsu was already incarcerated, serving 51 years to life in prison after pleading no contest in December 2017 to armed robbery and attempted murder of a Calistoga police officer. Gutsu allegedly implicated himself nearly three years ago in the Quiznos murder while being questioned by authorities for an armored truck robbery, shooting and wild pursuit in July 2016. Gutsu and an accomplice, 24-year-old Ivan Morales, are accused of firing upon an armored truck at a Chase Bank in the City of Windsor July 12, 2016. Gutsu and Morales drove up to the armored truck in a carjacked van, confronted the guards and started shooting, authorities said. One guard was hit by gunfire while Gutsu and Morales fled into another vehicle, taking $30,000 with them.
An officer with the Calistoga Police Department located the suspects. A pursuit began, during which the pursuing officer was fired upon. The officer being fired at by Gutsu rammed him with the patrol car. Gutsu was hospitalized and later jailed. Morales briefly eluded police, initiating a manhunt in Calistoga. Gutsu and Morales are also accused of an armored truck robbery in Granada Hills March 29, 2016, authorities said. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detectives arrived at Santa Rosa July 13, 2016 to interview Gutsu who then confessed to being involved in Patel’s murder, according to information provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. Bail for Gutsu in the Quiznos murder case has been denied. If convicted as charged, Gutsu faces the possibility of life in prison without parole or the death sentence. Prosecutors may still seek the death penalty at a later date, Eakins said. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 12 at the Foltz Criminal Justice Center. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MONTEREY PARK - Police arrested a man and woman from La Mirada March 8, accused of a series of purse robberies around the Monterey Park area. David Nicolas Davido, 30, and Erica Tiger Adams, 29 were both arrested and booked on suspicion of robbery. The du allegedly targeted Asian women in shopping plazas frequented by the Asian community, according to the San Gabriel Police Department. The San Gabriel Police Department partnered with neighboring departments and the Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Taskforce worked on identifying suspects who were committing purse snatch robberies in San Gabriel and around the area.
Detectives determined Davido and Adams were suspects in the crimes, located the duo and arrested them. Davido is being held in lieu of $310,000. Adams is being held in lieu of $280,000 bail, according to Los Angeles County booking records. Anyone with information on the suspects are urged to call San Gabriel Police Detective Eric Britt at 626-382-0248. Information can be provided anonymously by calling L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and area police agencies worked to arrest a suspect in four Game Stop robberies dating back to August of 2018. Frederick Lopez Jr., 27, was arrested at his home without incident March 6 during a search warrant. Lopez is accused of stealing merchandise, cash and employee cellphones totaling $135,000, the ATF said. The crimes occurred at:
interference with commerce by robbery, the ATF said. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Sheriff’s deputies arrested a man January 18 after he allegedly robbed five 7-Eleven convenience stores across the San Gabriel Valley. Julian Larsuel, 19, was arrested early Friday morning after a deputy anticipated his next target, a 7-Eleven in Hacienda Heights. Larsuel is accused of robbing at gunpoint stores in Baldwin Park, West Covina, Covina, City of Industry and La Puente, authorities said. Larsuel allegedly robbed a Covina 7-Eleven, 105 N. Vincent Ave., at 1:10 a.m., where he stole several hundred dollars. In roughly more than one hour, Larsuel is accused of additionally robbing stores in Baldwin Park, 3705 Puente Ave.; West Covina 7-Eleven, 235 N. Azusa Ave..; La Puente, 15211 Amar Rd.; and City of Industry, 16107 Gale Ave., authorities said.
Deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Industry Station were aware of the robberies and began checking stores not yet robbed. A deputy at a Hacienda Heights 7-Eleven, 15780 Tetley St., saw a man arrive matching the robbery suspect some time before 3 a.m. The deputy detained the suspect at gunpoint and he was arrested without incident. The suspect apparently tossed a handgun into a trashcan after seeing the deputy arrive, authorities said. The handgun, an airsoft or pellet gun, was recovered at the scene. Larsuel was arrested at 2:50 a.m. He is being held in lieu of $165,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in Rio Hondo Municipal Court Wednesday, January 23. |
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