The men were in possession of a handgun registered to former police officer
LOS ANGELES — Two South American nationals, allegedly part of a "crime tourism" group, were charged Aug. 13 in a federal complaint for the armed robbery of a $1 million watch.
Jamer Mauricio Sepulveda Salazar, 21, of Colombia, is charged with one count of interference with commerce by robbery, Hobbs act, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Jesus Eduardo Padron Rojas, 19, of Venezuela, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery.
During a search of the crew's Airbnb, officers also discovered a handgun registered to notorious former Los Angeles police officer Christopher Dorner.
Sepulveda and Padron are currently in custody and made their initial court appearances Aug. 16. Sepulveda’s arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 3, and Padron’s for Sept. 19, both in the U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to the complaint affidavit filed Aug. 7, the victim was sitting with his wife and two daughters on the patio of a restaurant at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel when Suspect 1 allegedly approached and pointed a black semiautomatic handgun at the victim. Suspect 1 reportedly pulled back the slide of the handgun, chambering a round. While Suspect 1 held the victim at gunpoint, Suspect 2 allegedly approached and removed a silver Patek Philippe watch, which is estimated to be worth $1 million, from the victim's wrist. Both suspects then fled the scene and eventually entered a blue Toyota Corolla, where Sepulveda allegedly served as the getaway driver.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant Aug. 10 at an Airbnb where the South American theft group had allegedly been staying. Security camera footage showed the group leaving the night before. During the search, officers found a handgun in a bedroom, which was registered to former LAPD officer Christopher Dorner, known for committing a series of murders before dying in a standoff in 2013. Later that day, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a Chevrolet Equinox and reportedly identified Sepulveda and Padron inside the vehicle. The Equinox was allegedly linked to another armed robbery in Beverly Hills on Aug. 5, during which a $30,000 Rolex was stolen.
If convicted on all counts, Sepulveda faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison, while Padron faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Ventura, the Beverly Hills Police Department, Enforcement and Removal Operations Los Angeles, and the Blythe (California) Police Department are investigating this matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jena A. MacCabe and Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this matter.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Anyone with information related to transnational organized crime is encouraged to call the HSI Tip Line at 877-4-HSI-TIP.
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