Genaro Vasquez, 18, of Chula Vista, will be sentenced April 17 after he pleaded guilty to robbery and grand theft when he took a purse from two women outside a store.
Vasquez wrote in a court document that he took the property by means of force or fear in the Dec. 22, 2016 incident outside a store in the 1000 block of Third Avenue in Chula Vista around 2 p.m.
A 17-year-old boy was also arrested with Vasquez, but his case was handled in Juvenile Court and is not public record.
The maximum sentence for Vasquez is five years in state prison but court documents indicate he may be granted probation. A notation in the file says that if Vasquez is successful on probation for two years with no new cases or violations, the judge will consider allowing Vasquez to withdraw the guilty plea to robbery and have the charge dropped. The note says the grand theft charge would remain.
The victims reported to Chula Vista Police they were robbed by two suspects, one of whom was armed with a handgun. They said both suspects ran to an awaiting car. The victims, who drove after the suspects, saw them get into a 2011 white Ford Mustang and were able to get the license plate number.
One suspect dropped the purse before getting into the Mustang and they left, according to police. With the license plate identified, police went to Vasquez’s home and arrested both suspects after they got into the Mustang.
A black BB gun was found in the car but no handgun. The car was impounded but later returned to Vasquez after his guilty plea.
Chula Vista Superior Court Judge Francis Devaney allowed Vasquez to remain free on $100,000 bond. The women were able to recover the purse and its contents.
