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4 Arrested in Piru Cactus Mart Armed Robbery, Kidnapping
By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Friday, January 28th, 2011
 Ventura County Sheriff's Department On 7-30-2010, at about 1605 hrs, a female employee was working alone at the Cactus Mart nursery, 3571 Howe Road. As the female victim sat in a small office, two Hispanic males entered. One of the males demanded money and the other male pointed a handgun at her. After receiving the money, the suspects bound the victim’s wrists and ankles with duct tape. The suspects fled on foot. The victim was able to free herself and call 911. The Sheriff’s Gang Unit took over the investigation and submitted several pieces of evidence to the Sheriff’s Crime Lab. On 10-18-2010, the Crime Lab notified gang investigators that they were able to extract DNA from some of the evidence collected at the scene. Scientists submitted the DNA profile to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and were notified the DNA profile belonged to 27 year old Juan Acevedo. Acevedo’s DNA had been collected during a prior unrelated arrest and submitted and stored in the CODIS data bank. Gang investigators conducted a records check on Acevedo and found that he was currently in custody at Folsom State Prison on a parole violation stemming from an incident in Santa Paula when he was found in possession of illegal weapons. After identifying Acevedo as a suspect in the Cactus Mart robbery, gang investigators were able to collect additional evidence that linked three other suspects to the robbery. They were identified as 21-year-old Carina Licea, 20-year-old Alexandria Zambrano and 25-year-old Juan Vasquez. Investigators found that Vasquez was on parole for drug offenses and currently had a warrant for violation of his parole terms. Gang investigators were able to track Carina Licea and Juan Vasquez to a residence in Buckeye, Arizona. Investigators obtained a warrant for Licea’s arrest on an unrelated case and on 12-23-10, the Buckeye Police Department SWAT team took Vasquez and Licea into custody. Vasquez was transported back to the California Department of Corrections and Licea was transported to the Ventura County Jail. Through interviews, Gang investigators found that on the day of the Cactus Mart robbery, Licea, Zambrano, Vasquez and Acevedo all met and planned out the robbery. Licea drove Vasquez and Acevedo to the Cactus Mart and dropped them off. Vasquez and Acevedo both entered the office where they robbed and tied up the victim. During the robbery, Vasquez decided not to shoot the victim as initially planned. Both Acevedo and Vasquez fled the office after the robbery and were picked up by Zambrano. All four suspects fled the area and drove to Bakersfield. On 1-5-2011, Licea was arrested for charges that include Armed Robbery and Kidnapping. She was in custody on unrelated charges at the time. On 1-6-2011, Zambrano was arrested at her Bakersfield residence for charges that include Armed Robbery and Kidnapping. On 1-26-2011, The District Attorney’s Office filed an order of production to have both Acevedo and Vasquez transported from state prison to the Ventura County Jail where they will be charged with Armed Robbery and Kidnapping. Licea remains in custody on $60,000 dollar bail. Zambrano was released from custody on 1-12-2011 on $60,000 dollar bail awaiting trial. Location: 3571 Howe Rd, Piru |
