Booking Photo Released of Lynwood Man Accused in Morongo Rez Robbery
Erick Michael Jones, 33, an active gang member from the L.A. area who was wanted on several active felony warrants, was arrested Monday in Beaumont, a sheriff's sergeant said.
A booking photo was released Tuesday of a Lynwood man arrested on suspicion of a robbery-assault in December on the Morongo Indian Reservation, a sheriff's sergeant said.
Erick Michael Jones, 33, was arrested Monday in Beaumont, Sgt. Alan Meservey of the sheriff's Cabazon Station said in a statement.
Jones is "an active gang member" from the L.A. area who was wanted on "several active felony warrants for his arrest," Meservey said.
The reported robbery-assault occurred on an unspecified date in December, Meservey said.
Deputies from the Cabazon Station were called out to the reservation to investigate, and learned "a lone female victim was accosted in a remote area and confronted at gunpoint where she was robbed of her purse and several hundred dollars in cash," Meservey said.
The victim was able to run into an open field and heard several gunshots, which she believed were aimed at her, but she was not injured, Meservey said. She ran to a residence on the reservation and summoned help.
Investigators from the Cabazon Station identified the robbery-assault suspect as Jones, Meservey said.
On Sunday Feb. 5, deputies learned Jones had recently tried to enter the Morongo Indian Reservation driving a blue Nissan Titan pickup with paper dealer plates, Meservey said.
About 11:30 a.m. Monday Feb. 6, a deputy from the Cabazon Station was in Beaumont and spotted the Titan parked outside a residence in the 900 block of Beaumont Avenue, Meservey said.
The deputy ordered both occupants out of the truck, and the driver was identified as Jones. He was taken into custody, and a .44-caliber Magnum revolver found inside the truck, "along with other items believed to be stolen, including credit cards and checks," Meservey said.
Jones was booked at Smith Correctional Facility in Banning on suspicion of the December robbery-assault, weapons violations, and active felony warrants, Meservey said.
Inmate records Tuesday show Jones was booked on offenses including felon possessing a firearm, violating state parole, two counts of possessing a controlled substance, and four counts of burglary.
Jones, who is not a member of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, was held without bail Tuesday, according to Meservey and inmate records. He has a court date Wednesday in Indio.
Lynwood is an incorporated city bordering Watts and Compton in Los Angeles County.
Morongo Tribal Patrol personnel were "integral to the success of this investigation," Meservey said.
Anyone with further information about Jones was urged to call Deputy Paul Questel or Investigator Bret Hensley at the Cabazon Station, (951) 922-7100, the Sheriff's Dispatch Center, 1 (800) 950-2444, or email cabazonstation@riversidesheriff.org.
concerned citizen
8:16 pm on Tuesday, February 7, 2012
The police should have the right to shoot on sight every gang member.
Vanessa
11:15 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
That's a really dumb comment
Dawn Thomas
3:56 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
What the heck were members of a know LA street gang doing in Beaumont? And who's home were they visiting in Beaumont? The police department needs to crack down on this sort of thing. We have already had a body of a man ( from the Compton area) dumped at the 10 and 60 interchange. If Beaumont is to stay a small town with low crime rates, we need to be aware who is hanging out here.
Gary
3:15 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Unfortunately, Beaumont has it's head in the sand when it comes to gang activity. Banning has a gang problem, but they acknowledge it, which allows them to deal with it head on. Beaumont officials refuse to acknowledge that there is a gang presence within their city limits. Really? Where do they think that 90% of the rapid population growth over the past 10 years came from? LA and other gang-infested areas, that's where. And many of them didn't leave their lifestyle behind, they brought their "gang affiliations" with them, to expand. Kinda like a "homeboy outreach" program, sadly.