Man Who Perpetrated Holdups Sentenced to State Prison, Brother Gets Probation

RIVERSIDE (CNS) – A Perris man who perpetrated an hour-long drive-by robbery spree that culminated in a brief police chase was bound for state prison Wednesday, while his younger brother was on probation.

Angel Miguel Ortega, 31, and Victor Ortega, 29, both pleaded guilty Tuesday to robbery, while Angel Ortega alone additionally admitted a charge of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer.

The brothers reached a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office a day before their case was scheduled for a preliminary hearing at the Riverside Hall of Justice. In exchange for their admissions, prosecutors dropped two robbery counts against both defendants, as well as a felony evading charge against Angel Ortega.

Superior Court Judge Gail O’Rane certified terms of the plea deal and imposed the stipulated sentences — a three-year prison term for Angel Ortega, and a year-long jail term for his younger brother, as well as 36 months’ felony probation. It was unknown how many actual days Victor Ortega would serve, given overcrowding in all of the county’s correctional facilities and daily releases to make bed space available.

Jail records indicated he was being held at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta.

According to sheriff’s Sgt. Dave Tinker, between 8 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. on Feb. 26, the pair cruised through the 500 block of West Fourth Street, the 400 block of West Nuevo Road and the 1400 block of South A Street, targeting people walking in each location.

“The suspects pulled up to the victims in their vehicle, brandished a firearm and demanded their property before fleeing the different locations,” Tinker said. “The victims were robbed of various items, including a cell phone, a wallet with cash and a backpack.”

The sergeant said patrol deputies responded to the victims’ 911 calls and confirmed a short time later that a silver 2019 Chevrolet Cruze was involved in each holdup.

Tinker said the vehicle was spotted by a unit near the intersection of Perris Boulevard and the Ramona Expressway, prompting deputies to attempt a traffic stop.

“The suspect vehicle appeared to stop but then accelerated and sideswiped the patrol unit before heading south on Perris Boulevard,” he said. “Deputies initiated a vehicle pursuit that lasted about a minute and terminated in a field … in the 800 block of North Perris Boulevard, where the (suspects’) vehicle became stuck.”

Tinker said the defendants tried to run away but were quickly apprehended without further incident.

No one was injured.

A search of the vehicle turned up items taken during the robberies, as well as “two replica firearms,” the sergeant said.

Both men had prior misdemeanor convictions for driving under the influence, according to court records.

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