Thread: Police: 4 youths linked to violent home invasion UPDATED

Tucson police: 4 youths linked to violent home invasion

Brian J. Pedersen Arizona Daily Star
May 20, 2010 2:57 pm

Tucson police continue to search for a fourth young teen in connection with a violent home invasion on Tucson’s south side that involved the sexual assault of at least one child.

The incident occurred on the afternoon of April 29 at a home in a neighborhood near South Kino Boulevard and East Ajo Way, Tucson Police Department spokeswoman Sgt. Diana Lopez said.

When police arrived at the home they found six victims inside, all but one of them children, Lopez said. One of the children suffered a non life-threatening injury and was taken to a local hospital, she said.

Police would not give out the names or ages of any of the alleged victims. Nor would police identify the suspects.

Three of the boys were arrested within four days of the incident, the last on May 3, Lopez said.

Each was taken to the Pima County Juvenile Detention Center on suspicion of kidnapping and armed robbery, aggravated assault and first-degree burglary, Lopez said.

Investigation into the sexual assault aspect of the incident is still ongoing, she said.

Police say four boys forced their way into the home with weapons and tied the victims up and then repeatedly pistol-whipped one victim while making racial and gang-related statements, Lopez said.

The suspects ransacked the home and fired multiple shots while in the home, Lopez said.

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Yeah!!! These are the kinda peoople we need to grant amnesty to in this country...gang banging anchor babies and their illegal alien criminal parents. They're just showing their true colors now...and it's escalating!!

SECURE OUR BORDERS NOW!! Arrest and DEPORT ALL ILLEGAL ALIENS....NOW!!!!!!!!!!!

3 teen boys held in home invasion

Carmen Duarte Arizona Daily Star
May 21, 2010 6:10 am

Two Tucson boys face adult felony charges in connection with a violent home invasion in which five people were tied up at gunpoint, one girl was sexually assaulted and one man was beaten unconscious with a sawed-off shotgun, according to juvenile court records.

Benjamin Anthony Altamirano, 14, of the 3300 block of East Felix Boulevard, and Alvaro Gonzalez, 15, of the 5500 block of South Forgeus Avenue, were two of four youths police say stormed a house on April 29 near South Kino Parkway and East Ajo Way.

The pair face multiple felony counts of armed robbery, aggravated robbery, kidnapping, and one count each of burglary. Gonzalez is also being held on suspicion of sexual conduct and attempted sexual conduct with a 15-year-old girl in the house.

On Thursday during a hearing in Pima County Juvenile Court, both teens were formally transferred into the jurisdiction of adult court at the request of prosecutors. Arizona law states that minors can be tried as adults for certain violent crimes.

The Arizona Daily Star is identifying the two teens because of the seriousness of the criminal charges and because they now face adult prosecution.

A third teen linked to the home invasion - a 13-year-old boy - is not being identified by the Star because he remains under juvenile court jurisdiction. Prosecutors have also filed a petition to transfer his case to adult court, but a competency hearing has been ordered before a decision is issued by the juvenile court.

Investigators say the 13-year-old beat a man in the house by striking him with a sawed-off shotgun "at least 40 times or more until the victim went unconscious," court records show. The man suffered head trauma and broken fingers.

Tucson police continue to search for a fourth juvenile in connection with the home invasion. They would not provide any identifying information about the juvenile being sought.

When police arrived at the home they found the victims inside the house, said Sgt. Diana Lopez, a Tucson police spokeswoman. One of the teens in the house was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, Lopez said.

The three boys were arrested within four days of the incident, the last was apprehended on May 3, Lopez said. Each boy was taken into the custody of the Pima County Juvenile Court's detention center.

An investigation into the sexual assault continues, Lopez said.

Investigators say the four invaders made racial and gang-related statements and fired multiple shots while in the house, Lopez said.

Defense attorney Richard Martinez, who is representing Altamirano, said he has repeatedly asked for police reports, but has not received any information.

"I am looking into the length of time my client was detained and interrogated. It appears to be for up to, or more than, 10 hours. He is a special-education needs student," Martinez said following the transfer hearing Thursday.

Altamirano sat next to his mother during the hearing, who was following the proceedings through an interpreter. She blessed Altamirano, who hugged his mom as tears welled in his eyes before he was taken from the courtroom.

About 16 family members and relatives showed up at the hearing for Altamirano and Gonzalez, who also became teary-eyed after receiving a blessing from his mother.

On StarNet: View an interactive map of daily crime in Tucson at go.azstarnet.com/crime

Star reporter Brian J. Pedersen contributed to this report. Contact reporter Carmen Duarte at 573-4104 or cduarte@azstarnet.com

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2 in break-in case have juvie records

Brian J. Pedersen Arizona Daily Star
May 22, 2010 12:00 am

Two of three teenagers implicated in a violent home invasion last month had prior juvenile records, including one who was first referred to juvenile authorities when he was 9 years old, court records show.

The three boys, 13 to 15, are facing multiple felony charges of armed robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and kidnapping stemming from the April 29 incident at a home near East 36th Street and South Kino Parkway.

Alvaro Gonzalez, 15, is also being held on suspicion of sexual assault with a 15-year-old girl who was in the house.

Gonzalez and 14-year-old Benjamin Anthony Altamirano had their cases transferred to adult court on Thursday. Both are being held at the Pima County Juvenile Court's detention center.

Prosecutors have also asked to transfer the case of the 13-year-old boy to adult court.

The Star is not identifying that boy because he remains under Juvenile Court jurisdiction. The boy is scheduled to have a competency hearing June 9, court records show.

The three boys and another juvenile, who remains at large, are linked to an incident April 29 in which authorities say the young gunmen forced their way into the home, tied up four adults and a 15-year-old girl and then ransacked the home, stealing jewelry and cell phones, according to court records.

The 13-year-old had his first appearance in Juvenile Court in May 2006 when, as a 9-year-old, he was suspected of causing damage to a taxicab, court records show. When he was 10, the boy was back again in a criminal-damage case in the defacing of a door at Cavett Elementary School. That case resulted in the boy being put on probation, court records show.

The 13-year-old had numerous probation violations between May 2008 and March 2009, including one instance in December 2008 when he reportedly ran away from home and had been seen with a firearm, according to court records.

The 13-year-old was placed into state Child Protective Services custody in March 2009, court records indicate.

Meanwhile, Gonzalez first came under Juvenile Court supervision as a 13-year-old after being involved in a fight in May 2008, records show. In February 2009 Tucson police apprehended Gonzalez after they say he was pulled over driving a stolen truck. The vehicle had marijuana and a sawed-off shotgun in it, court records show.

Altamirano has no prior Juvenile Court record.

Contact reporter Brian J. Pedersen at bjp@azstarnet.com or call 573-4224.

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