By KRWG News
Las Cruces – Las Cruces Police have arrested one juvenile and three adults for their involvement in the Monday evening armed robbery of a restaurant on south Valley Drive and the attempted armed robbery of another eatery on El Paseo Road.
Andrew Jerome Maldonado, 16, Brianna Jordan, 18, Seth Benavidez, 18, and 33-year-old David Benavidez were arrested. Maldonado is charged with armed robbery, attempted armed robbery and two counts of conspiracy.
Seth Benavidez and David Benavidez are each charged with armed robbery, attempt to commit armed robbery and tampering with evidence. Seth Benavidez is charged with four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon while David Benavidez faces one such count. Jordan is charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit armed robbery and tampering with evidence.
At around 11 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28, Las Cruces Police were investigating the two incidents when an officer located the suspect vehicle, a white Oldsmobile Alero, near El Paseo Road and Farney Lane. Maldonado jumped from the vehicle and attempted to flee from officers but was captured within minutes. Jordan continued driving away and was found at her residence a short time later.
Seth and David Benavidez were detained Tuesday morning at a residence on the 1900 block of Colorado. The weapons used during the two incidents have all been recovered.
Investigators learned that Maldonado and Seth Benavidez first attempted to hold up the Pizza Hut restaurant on El Paseo but were unsuccessful. Maldonado threatened store employees with a handgun while Benavidez wielded a machete.
The four suspects then went to Dickey's Barbeque Pit at 1660 S. Valley Dr. where Maldonado and both Benavidezes entered through a back door and threatened employees before taking off with an undisclosed amount of cash.