The Sierra Vista Police Department arrested two Sierra Vista residents 21-year-old Jhmal Oliver, and 20-year-old Sierra Vista resident Ashley Melendrez, on multiple charges on Thursday for robbing two people at gunpoint inside a local residence.
Officers were dispatched to the 4900 block of Camino Del Norte at about 12:58 a.m. on Thursday in response to a report of an armed robbery. A man and woman told officers that they had been robbed by two acquaintances.
Oliver was reportedly armed with a handgun, which he pointed at the female victim and used to pistol whip the male victim.
Oliver was assisted by Melendrez who reportedly physically assaulted the female victim and kept her from leaving the residence for a time during the armed robbery. Both victims ultimately managed to flee the scene and contact the police.
SVPD detectives from the Special Operations Bureau were contacted to assist with the investigation. At about 8:54 a.m. the SVPD Tactical Unit served a search warrant in the 300 block of Jennifer Lane and took both Oliver and Melendrez into custody without incident. SVPD major crimes detectives finished executing the search warrant.
Oliver and Melendrez were booked into Cochise County Jail for aggravated armed robbery, armed robbery, and kidnapping.