The Coachella Valley Violent Crime Gang Task Force investigated an armed robbery in Bermuda Dunes and arrested two Indio teenagers, one a known criminal street gang member, authorities said.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department did not report what, if anything, was stolen during the robbery, which occurred at approximately 5:30 p.m. June 9 on the 40000 block of Washington Street. The investigation resulted in two arrests and the confiscation of three guns.
“During the follow-up investigation, Gang Task Force Officers arrested documented criminal street gang member, Isaac Martinez, 18, of Indio for robbery, criminal threats and conspiracy,” Deputy Sgt. Paul Heredia of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.
In executing a search warrant at the Martinez home, the Task Force located a .380 Automatic Colt Pistol (ACP) semi-automatic handgun as well as a .22 Long Rifle (LR) revolver and seized both as evidence in the robbery investigation, according to Heredia.
The Gang Task Force also served a search warrant at a home located on the 8300 block of Lupine Avenue in Indio. During their search, officers located a vehicle that had multiple occupants. In a subsequent search of the vehicle, the task force located a 9mm semi-auto “ghost gun”, which means that it was non-serialized, Sgt. Heredia said.
Subsequently, Eddie Amezquita, an 18-year-old Indio resident, was charged with possession of a concealed firearm, possession of a loaded firearm and possession of a ghost gun, according to the news release.
The Gang Task Force’s investigation concluded that Amezquita had fired a single round from the ghost gun prior to the arrival of law enforcement, which resulted in a fourth charge—negligent discharge of a firearm, the release said.
Both of the teens were booked at the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio. The investigation is still ongoing.
