Location: Tulare County, Delano, Bakersfield and Fremont, Neb.
Incident Date: 8/7/17
Victim: Multiple businesses
City: Tulare County, Delano, Bakersfield and Fremont, Neb.
Posted by: Media Relations
**********************UPDATE**************************************
A man who was on the Tulare County Sheriff’s Top 10 Most Wanted Criminals in Hiding was captured this week by Indio Police following an attempted armored vehicle robbery.
Suspect: Homero Palomino Ontiveros, 32, from the Earlimart area
According to Indio Police, just before noon on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, a man in a ski mask pointed a handgun at a Brinks Security Guard and demanded money as the guard was putting cash into a bank ATM. After a short exchange of rapid gunfire between the suspect and the victim, the suspect jumped into a green SUV and left the area.
No one was injured in the gunfire, police later learned.
Next, a tip came into Indio Police Dispatch from concerned citizens after seeing two suspects abandon the getaway vehicle and leave the area in a red Cadillac. With help from assisting agencies, the Cadillac was located as it traveled toward the city of Coachella.
Attempts were made to stop the vehicle but the Cadillac failed to yield to pursuing officers. The suspects continued to flee until they hit a block wall at which time they fled on foot into a nearby mobile home park, sending an adjacent school into lock down.
Police set up a perimeter around the mobile home park and a search began, one mobile home at a time.
A tip came in to Dispatch alerting officers that the suspects were under a specific mobile home. A perimeter was set up and, with assistance of the Riverside County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit, officers were able to locate the suspects.
Homero Palomino Ontiveros was taken into custody and the second suspect was pronounced deceased at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A search of Ontiveros’ person revealed he was in possession of the ski mask.
Inside the mobile home, officers located a backpack containing a chrome .357 revolver with a filed-off serial number, a black ski mask and several sets of gloves.
Ontiveros was booked into the Riverside County Jail in Indio for attempted homicide, attempted robbery and several firearm-related charges.
In Tulare County, Ontiveros was wanted for questioning regarding multiple armed robberies at businesses throughout Tulare County, within the city limits of Porterville, Lindsay, Bakersfield and Delano and as far away as Fremont, Neb.
In Nebraska, he has felony warrants for robbery. At the time he was put on the Sheriff’s Top 10, in August, 2017, his bail was set at $1 million.
The Tulare County Sheriff's Office is grateful that no citizens, bystanders or peace officers were injured during the confrontation with Ontiveros and would like to thank the men and women of the Indio Police Department and assisting agencies for bringing him to justice.
**********************UPDATE**************************************
The Sheriff's County Apprehension Team Tracking Criminals in Hiding Unit captured Ulises Medina, one of the Sheriff's Top 10 Most Wanted Criminals in Hiding.
Fugitive Ulises Medina was wanted for a string of armed robberies in southern Tulare County and as far away as Nebraska.
The CATTCH detectives received information early Tuesday that Medina was possibly staying in the Earlimart area. The CATTCH team conducted surveillance and narrowed down the search down to a residence on the 100 block of South Davis Street.
At approximately 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017, Medina was seen getting into a vehicle as a passenger and the vehicle left the residence.
With assistance from deputies from the Pixley Substation and TAGNET detectives, the CATTCH Unit conducted mobile surveillance and a traffic stop was initiated in the area of Washington and Front streets in Earlimart.
Medina was taken into custody without incident. He was transported the to Adult Pre-Trial Facility and booked for his felony warrant for robbery.
********************Original Press Release******************
On Aug. 7, 2017, Sheriff Mike Boudreaux and Porterville Police Chief Eric Kroutil announced five arrests in a joint investigation of armed robberies at businesses throughout Tulare County, within the city limits of Porterville, Lindsay, Bakersfield and Delano and as far away as Fremont, Nebraska.
Following a string of armed robberies at businesses targeted by violent and dangerous offenders, the two agencies began working together and formed a task force to identify and apprehend these suspects connected to these brazen armed robberies.
Each robbery was the same: 3-4 armed suspects entered the business wearing masks and gloves. In an organized, methodical and well-planned manner, they tactically cleared the store with assault rifles and pistols out, scanning for any patrons or owners.
In English and Spanish, they demanded money and shouted, “Get on the ground.” All victims complied.
With victims on the ground, they helped themselves to the cash register. In some instances, personal property such as cell phones and wallets were stolen.
Then they fled in a stolen getaway vehicle which law enforcement found abandoned nearby. From there, suspects entered another vehicle later identified as a Silver 2009 Chevy Impala LTZ with chrome wheels.
This vehicle is still outstanding and Sheriff Boudreaux asks the public’s assistance for information.
More than $250,000 was taken during 14 armed robberies over 15 months. Twelve were in Tulare County which includes four in Porterville and two in Lindsay, one in Bakersfield and one in Delano. There was one armed robbery in Fremont, Nebraska and one attempted burglary/theft of an ATM machine in Dodge County, Nebraska.
It was detectives at the Fremont Police Department in Nebraska who contacted Tulare County Sheriff’s Detectives following an armed robbery there. Investigative leads prohibit Sheriff Boudreaux from saying more but it was quickly learned that all of these armed robberies were related.
In June, investigative leads led detectives from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office and the Porterville Police Department to travel to Fremont, Nebraska, where they met with Fremont Police Detectives and Dodge County Sheriff’s Detectives. The Nebraska detectives were investigating armed robberies that were very similar to the ones back home in Tulare County. While there, several witnesses were interviewed and information gathered was confirmed.
Victims not injured
In Tulare County, there were 19 male and female victims, ranging in age from 20-50 years old. No children were involved. Although victims were scared and in at least one case, zip tied, no one was physically assaulted. Shots were fired during one armed robbery in the city of Porterville, but no one was injured.
None of the stolen money has been recovered, said Sheriff Boudreaux.
“These dangerous fugitives had to be arrested,” he said. “I dedicated resources collaboratively with Porterville Police Chief Eric Kroutil to capture these violent suspects.”
Chief Kroutil explained that also assisting with the investigation are the Fresno office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice Tulare Area Regional Gang Enforcement Team (TARGET) and the Delano Police Department. The Tulare County District Attorney’s Office has also joined the pursuit of prosecuting these multi-jurisdictional robbery cases stemming from the current and ongoing investigation.
The investigation intensified when a weapon was located in May. DNA positively identified one of the suspects.
A break in the case
Now that information had been developed regarding names of potential suspects, surveillance operations were organized.
On July 26, 2017, members of the Sheriff’s CATTCH Unit (County Apprehension Team Seeking Criminals in Hiding) and Porterville Police Detectives set up surveillance in Porterville and made a traffic stop.
In the vehicle was one of the main suspects, Javier Beltran Alonzo, 24, out of Earlimart. He was taken into custody without incident. He was wanted in connection with at least 14 armed robberies within the rural Tulare County communities of Strathmore, Plainview, Earlimart and Woodville, as well as within the cities of Porterville, Lindsay, Delano and Bakersfield.
The suspects also have active arrest warrants for Armed Robbery in Dodge County, Neb.
Following Beltran Alonzo’s arrest and continued investigation, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office and the Porterville Police Department executed two residential search warrants in the 300 block of “G” Street, in Porterville, and the 19600 block of Balfour Drive, in Strathmore.
Upon the conclusion of the search warrant services, and in addition to the multi-jurisdictional evidence, the following people were arrested, transported and booked into a Tulare County jail facility:
Javier Beltran Alonzo, 24, out of Earlimart and Strathmore
Beltran Alonzo was booked for 14 counts of armed robbery, multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon, illegal possession of weapons and ammunition with enhancements, theft, criminal street gang enhancements, child endangerment, possession of a controlled substance, cultivation of marijuana, and manufacture of concentrated cannabis (Honey Oil). He was also arrested on outstanding warrants for robberies committed in Dodge County, Nebraska, as well as a weapons violation warrant out of Porterville. He currently remains in custody in lieu of $3,130,000 bail.
Jorge Alonso, 25, out of Strathmore
Alonso was booked for manufacturing a controlled substance, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of an assault weapon with high capacity magazine, possession of a controlled substance and maintaining a place for selling or using controlled substances. He remains in custody in lieu of $250,000 bail.
Hugo Guerrero, 32, out of Strathmore
Guerrero was booked for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, manufacturing a controlled substance, maintaining a place to sell or use controlled substances, sales of a controlled substance with an enhancement. He remains in custody in lieu of $300,000 bail.
Vanessa Garcia, 28, out of Strathmore
Garcia was booked for child endangerment, cultivation of marijuana, manufacturing a controlled substance, maintaining a place for the sale or use of controlled substances and an alcohol related violation. Garcia’s bail totaled $300,000, but she has bonded out of custody and will have to answer to the charges in court.
Leonard Martinez, 41, out of Strathmore
Martinez was booked for child endangerment likely to cause great bodily harm, possession of a firearm by a felon and manufacture of a controlled substance. His bail was $250,000, but he has bonded out of custody. He will have to answer to these charges in court.
Sheriff requests public’s assistance
Sheriff Boudreaux said he appreciates the tireless efforts of all the detectives involved in this case.
“All agencies have really shown how working together has made our communities safer,” he said. “We take these cases very seriously.”
Two additional suspects have been identified and Sheriff Boudreaux and Chief Kroutil would like to invite the public to offer information as to their whereabouts. They are:
Ulises Medina, 24, out of Earlimart
Medina is known to frequent various areas within Tulare County, as well as in the State of Nebraska. He is wanted by both the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Porterville Police Department, and the Fremont Police Department in Nebraska. He is to be considered armed and dangerous. He is described as a Hispanic male adult, approximately 5’-03” to 5’-06” tall, 155-170 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
Homero Palomino Ontiveros, 32, out of Earlimart.
Ontiveros is wanted for questioning by both the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office and the Porterville Police Department. He also has an outstanding arrest warrant for robbery charges and conspiracy to commit robbery out of Dodge County, Nebraska. Ontiveros is considered armed and dangerous. He is described as a Hispanic male adult, approximately 5’-10” tall, 150-170 pounds with brown hair and eyes.
While the getaway vehicles were stolen and abandoned a few miles from the scene of the crime, the car meeting the getaway vehicles has been identified as a Silver 2009 Chevy Impala LTZ with chrome wheels and VIN# 2G1WU57M891276568. This car is likely “cold plated” or has paper plates.
This investigation is active and there are ongoing efforts to identify more suspects. Additional arrests are anticipated.
Anyone with information to offer is encouraged to contact the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 733-6218 or anonymously at (559) 725-4194 or tcso@tipnow.com.
Or contact the Porterville Police Department at (559) 782-7400 or anonymously at (559) 784-3673.