After a nearly year-long investigation, Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Yucca Valley man accused of robbing a convenience store at gun point. Just after 1 a.m. on January 29, 2020, two men entered the Flyer’s gas station convenience store at the corner of Church Street and Highway 62. The men brandished a black semi-automatic handgun and knife at the clerks on duty and demanded cash. After taking money and cigarettes, the two men fled. During the investigation, deputies located evidence related to the robbery and continued to investigate. Earlier this month, detectives developed leads linking Paulix Ramirez, 21, to the armed robbery, and sought a warrant for his arrest. About 10:30 a.m. Friday, January 15, deputies located Ramirez near the intersection of Highway 62 and Old Woman Springs Road. Paulix Ramirez was arrested without incident for investigation of armed robbery, booked into the Morongo Basin Jail, with his bail set at $150,000.
Nearly nine pounds of marijuana, and more than 2600 marijuana plants were seized in multiple raids in the Desert Heights neighborhood of Twentynine Palms Wednesday morning. The Sheriff’s Department had received numerous complaints about large, outdoor illegal marijuana grows in the area, and about 9 a.m. Wednesday, investigators from the Marijuana Enforcement Team served four search warrants on locations in the area; they seized 8.9 pounds of processed marijuana and 2,665 marijuana plants. While serving the search warrants, deputies found a hidden bunker that had been dug into the ground; inside were two men, Victor Hipolito-Estrada, 20, and Jose Rico-Garcia, 35, both of Mexico. Deputies arrested Hipolito-Estrada, Rico-Garcia; and Alexis Frias, 34, of Mendocino, for investigation of cultivation of cannabis. Victor Hipolito-Estrada, Jose Rico-Garcia, and Alexis Frias were booked into the Morongo Basin Jail, cited and released.
Updated 1-12 9:26 a.m. with additional information.
A Yucca Valley man was arrested Monday following a pursuit. Deputies were called to the 63600 block of Broadway in Joshua Tree just before 2 p.m. by a resident who said that a strange man showed up at his house asking for a job. He said the man, later identified as Jaden Derry, 25, was acting odd before he left the home and that he may be related to a recent burglary in the Indian Cove neighborhood. Deputies located Derry driving eastbound on Highway 62 near Indian Cove Road at a high rate of speed and attempted to make a traffic stop, but Derry failed to yield. Deputies pursued Derry for nine miles and were finally able to stop him with a PIT maneuver near Amboy Road and Utah Trail in Twentynine Palms. Derry is currently on active parole for burglary. Jaden Derry was arrested on suspicion of felony failure to yield, booked into the Morongo Basin Jail with his bail set at $100,000. The investigation into the burglary is still ongoi
A Desert Hot Springs man was arrested after he was found driving a stolen vehicle. About 9 p.m. Monday, deputies made a traffic stop on a vehicle near Highway 62 and Camino del Cielo in Yucca Valley. The driver, Dustin Davis, 22, was found to be driving without a license. During a search of the vehicle, the deputy found metal knuckles under Davis’s feet. The deputy also determined that the vehicle had been stolen in Desert Hot Springs, and Davis allegedly admitted to taking it. Dustin Davis was arrested for investigation of being in possession of stolen property and possession of metal knuckles, and was booked into the Morongo Basin Jail with his bail set at $50,000.
A Twentynine Palms man was arrested, accused of leading deputies on a pursuit. About midnight Sunday, January 3, a deputy attempted to make a traffic stop on a suspected drunk driver near Sullivan Road and Yucca Avenue in Twentynine Palms. The driver, identified as Jermaine Franklin, 49, led deputie