Sacramento group arrested in motel ambush robbery

MILPITAS » An alleged robbery crew of two adults and two teens from Sacramento was arrested after they held up and assaulted a man they arranged to meet at a motel earlier this month, according to Milpitas police.

Sa lvador Andrew Ramirez II, 20, and Mercedes Rozina Valles, 21, were booked into the Elmwood jail complex in Milpitas, and two 16-year- old teens, a boy and girl, were booked into Juvenile Hall in connection with the Nov. 12 robbery. Ramirez remains in jail on $200,000 bail, as does Valles, who is being held without bail.

According to police, a man went to the America’s Best Value Inn on South Main Street to meet Valles, whom he met online, and entered a motel room with her. Once the man was inside, Ramirez and the two teen suspects “emerged from the bathroom and prevented the victim from leaving.”

“Ramirez brandished a handgun and struck the victim in the head,” police said in a news release.

After the suspects took the man’s cellphone, wallet, car keys and clothes, the victim ran out of the room, went to the front office, and called for help, police said. Responding officers turned the tables on the suspects, surrounded the motel room, ordered them to exit and arrested them.

Officers were able to recover the victim’s property, and also seized two loaded handguns they said were hidden in the room, including one gun reported stolen in Washington state.

All of the suspects were booked on suspicion of robbery, conspiracy to commit a robbery, possessing a stolen firearm, carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony, and possessing a high- capacity magazine. Ramirez and Valles were additionally booked on counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and Valles was also wanted on two felony warrants for robbery and grand theft.

Anyone with information about the case can contact Milpitas police at 408-5862400 or leave an anonymous tip at 408- 586-2500 or at ci.milpitas.ca.gov/crimetip.