Pinal County deputies have arrested an 18-year-old San Tan Valley man who has admitted to 25 car thefts, several burglaries, an armed robbery, endangerment, credit card fraud and felony flight law enforcement. Here are the details on how the suspect was stopped.
On Nov. 30, a Pinal County Deputy was patrolling near Bella Vista Road and Hunt Highway and observed a white Chevrolet sedan pass by him. He had been notified one hour earlier that a white Chevrolet sedan had been stolen from a nearby neighborhood and this vehicle matched the description. He got behind the vehicle and confirmed the plate matched the one stolen earlier that day.
The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver fled at a high rate of speed. After a few minutes of chasing the vehicle in and around the residential neighborhood north and east of that location, he lost sight of the vehicle. A second deputy located the vehicle moments later abandoned in the 31,000 block of N. Candlewood Rd. The suspect was spotted running through residential yards and jumping walls. The deputies in the area chased the suspect on foot for approximately 15 minutes, aided by the PCSO Air Unit, until he was captured at Hunt Highway and Paso Fino Trail. The suspect was identified as Rojelio Armenta, 18-years-old resident of San Tan Valley. In a search of the stolen vehicle he was driving, deputies found a stolen wallet and credit cards.
Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu said, “When our detectives interviewed Mr. Armenta, he admitted to a spree of crimes over the past few weeks. He claimed to have stolen 25 cars, six of which we have confirmed he stole in Pinal County. We have also linked him to an armed robbery outside a home in San Tan Valley on Nov. 28, as well as several burglaries, thefts and credit card frauds in San Tan Valley, Maricopa County and the Town of Gilbert. When Armenta was booked into the Pinal County jail, he was found to be hiding 2.1 grams of heroin in between his toes. He is being held in custody in the PCSO jail. His charges, so far, include; six counts of vehicle theft, armed robbery, three counts of burglary, two counts of credit card fraud, endangerment, felony flight, possession of narcotics, and promoting prison contraband. This is a serious criminal, who victimized many in our community and richly deserves justice.”
When Armenta was booked into the Pinal County jail, he was found to be hiding 2.1 grams of heroin in between his toes. He is being held in custody in the PCSO jail. His charges, so far, include; six counts of vehicle theft, armed robbery, three counts of burglary, two counts of credit card fraud, endangerment, felony flight, possession of narcotics, and promoting prison contraband.
PCSO detectives are working with neighboring jurisdictions in Maricopa County to identify all the crimes Armenta is responsible for. More charges are expected to be filed in the near future.