Knife-wielding robber who terrorized sleeping couple sentenced to 3 years in prison

(Source: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department)
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A man accused of terrorizing a Canyon Country couple at knife-point as they slept in their bed last month – a man arrested more than a dozen times since May 2013 – was sentenced Wednesday to three years in state prison.

Michael Bryan Estrada, 26, of Boyle Heights, appeared Wednesday in San Fernando Superior Court where he entered a plea of no contest to one count of first degree residential robbery, Ricardo Santiago, spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office told The Signal.

“He pleaded no contest today to one count of 1st-degree residential robbery and was sentenced to three years in state prison,” Santiago said Wednesday.

Deputies with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station arrested Estrada on Feb. 4, the day after a Canyon Country couple was terrorized in their home as they slept.

About 1:15 a.m. on Feb. 3,  deputies with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station responded reports of a burglary on the 18200 block of Sierra Highway, Lt. Ignacio Somoano told The Signal last month.

The victim, described only as a 33-year-old Hispanic woman, said she was awakened by noises in the home.

“When she started to get out of bed to inquire, a male suspect entered the room armed with two knives,” Somoano said, noting the suspect had his face and his hands covered with clothing.

The ordeal ended when the suspect fled the home with money and cell phones stolen from the couple.

Fortunately, the terrifying incident was captured and recorded by home surveillance equipment.

Deputies, after extensive research and investigative work, and after studying the video recording, recognized the suspect as a known narcotics offender.  That information was shared with patrol personnel.

The next day, about 10 a.m., a patrol deputy familiar with the suspect, located Estrada in a wash area near Soledad Canyon Road and Sierra Highway.

Shortly after his arrest, Estrada entered a plea of not guilty.

A review of court records revealed that Estrada had been arrested more than a dozen times since May 2013.

The records reflected a series of arrests for property crimes and drugs.

On Feb. 9, five days after his arrest for the home invasion, Estrada appeared at the Santa Clarita Courthouse to enter a plea for an earlier offense stemming from his arrest in April 2016.

He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession of methamphetamine and possession of smoking device.  For that, he was sentenced to 90 days in jail and ordered to pay $150 restitution.

Before that, on March 16, 2016, he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor possessing methamphetamine and petty theft. For that, he was sentenced to 36 months summary probation.

A month prior to that, on Feb. 15, 2016, Estrada pleaded no contest to misdemeanor possession of burglary tools. Again, he was sentenced to 36 months summary probation.

On May 6, 2014, Estrada pleaded no contest to one felony count of forgery. For that, he was sentenced to 364 days in jail.

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