Judge David Stuart issued bench warrants for a man and woman charged with multiple felony counts from a store-theft investigation at Target.
Neither Nathaniel Rivas Jr. nor Maria Elizabeth De La Torre appeared for an Oct. 28 hearing, according to the minute record for L.A. County Superior Court in San Fernando.
De La Torre pleaded not guilty to several charges at a formal arraignment in May.
She was held to answer to a petty-theft-with-two-prior-convictions charge; second-degree robbery with an allegation that a firearm was used; assault with a deadly weapon with force, possible great bodily injury; felony possession of a firearm; and felony possession of ammunition.
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station investigators said De La Torre and Rivas were suspected in a series of thefts known as “Estes” robberies. A store burglary can be elevated to this more serious charge when a suspect uses force or fear on someone to complete the theft.
Working with store officials, station detectives linked the two to a vehicle used in two separate incidents at the same Target on Golden Valley Road.
In a request for a search warrant of their Canyon Country home, detectives wrote that they used the same Toyota SUV in more than one incident. A judge approved the search in February.
During their search, deputies reported finding narcotics, a “ghost gun” and ammunition, according to the return of their search warrant in courthouse records.
At their May hearing, Judge Robert Sanchez DuFour found cause for Rivas to be charged with felon in possession of a firearm and an allegation that he had one or more serious violent felony convictions. His second count was possession of ammunition with the same allegation.
DuFour dismissed two of the more serious counts against Rivas, a second-degree robbery charge and the same allegations regarding his prior conviction, and the relatively new organized retail theft charge and the prior allegation. He also dismissed the serial burglary charge against De La Tore.
L.A. County Sheriff’s Department arrest records indicated De La Torre and Rivas were picked up by Burbank Police Department officers July 19. Officers with the West Valley division of the Los Angeles Police Department also arrested De La Torre on July 25, according to custody records online.
Records indicate Rivas booked and released the same day, and a court ordered De La Torre’s release on July 27.
There was no information available on potential additional charges as of this story’s publication.
