Archive

Press Release January 8th, 2013 Robbery

January 9, 2013

PRESS RELEASE

Suspects: #1 – Juan Eriberto Vera, Age 32, of Sonoma County

#2 – Samantha Lee Green, Age 21, of Ukiah

Crimes: Robbery,Burglary,Conspiracy,Possession of Controlled Substance,Violation of Probation

*all felonies, in-custody Mendocino County Jail, held without bail.

On 1/8/13 at about 7:15 a.m., UPD officers received a call of a theft that had just occurred at Rite Aid, 680 S.State St. It was reported that a Hispanic male had just left the store after taking two televisions and assaulting the employee who tried to apprehend him outside the store. The suspect fled on foot after placing one of the stolen TV’s into a silver Mazda sedan. A female driver of the Mazda also fled the area in the vehicle after the TV was placed in the vehicle.

Officers began searching the area for the suspect and eventually located the silver Mazda and the female in the 700 block of S.Dora Street. The female, 21 year old Samantha Lee Green of Ukiah was placed under arrest and the stolen television was recovered inside the vehicle.

Officers spotted the male suspect, 32 year old Juan Eriberto Vera of Sonoma County, running in the area of S.Dora St., and Gobbi Street and gave chase. Vera refused to stop and resisted the officers efforts to place him under arrest when they physically made contact with him in the 800 block of S.Oak St. One UPD officer received minor injuries from the struggle with Vera.

The victim, the 55 year old male store manager, reported that he was in the store when Vera entered and selected two 32 inch televisions valued at $300 each from the store display. Vera walked past the manager and out the front doors of the store without paying or attempting to pay for the items. The store manager contacted Vera in the parking lot at which time Vera hit the store manager with one of the televisions. Vera then dropped the televisions and grabbed the store manager and threw him to the ground. The store manager got up off the ground and Vera then punched him in the head. Vera then picked up one of the televisions and placed it in the vehicle that was parked running with Green driving in the parking lot nearby. Vera yelled for Green to go and she sped out of the parking lot while Vera took off running. The victim sustained minor injuries as a result of the assault.

Vera is on probation for weapons violations out of Sonoma County and has a lengthy criminal history that includes prior weapons, violence and theft related crimes and is a known gang member. About 1 gram of suspected methamphetamine was found in his possession at the time of his arrest. Green is on probation in Mendocino County for drug related prior offenses.

Both Vera and Green were booked into the Mendocino County Jail and held without bail for the crimes listed above.

By: Captain Trent Taylor