The L.A. County District Attorney’s Office is bringing a pair of charges against an 18-year-old Newhall man accused of meeting people online for purchases and then robbing them at a local park.
Prosecutors charged Alexander Gonzalo Martinez, 18, with two counts of second-degree robbery, as well as allegations that the crimes were committed with planning and the use of violence.
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station officials became aware of two incidents in May involving a suspect they eventually identified as Martinez, a teen who lived near the park and was identified by investigators’ analysis of computer records of the defendant’s social media activity, according to court records.
The first incident mentioned in the station investigation happened April 9, according to the criminal complaint filed in May, and the second allegation about two weeks later.
Both encounters involved the use of an online-sales platform known as OfferUp, a mobile app that lets people post pictures and sales offers of their items, which can lead to in-person transactions.
In the first incident, the victim listed a “Supreme” jacket set, and then arranged to meet the suspect at Creekview Park on April 9, according to the narrative from a detective’s search warrant. It said the victim showed the suspect the jacket, and the suspect responded by pulling out what appeared to be a black semiautomatic pistol, which he pointed at the ground, saying, “Yeah, I’m going to take this.”
On April 25, another Offer Up seller had a “Supreme” jacket listed that the suspect inquired about, according to the detective’s report.
“The victim and suspect communicated through Facebook Messenger where they negotiated over the merchandise,” according to the search warrant. “The victim provided a public location (a shopping center on Newhall Avenue). The suspect instead wanted to meet at ‘Creekview Park’ … stating the first location was too far for him.”
When the two met up to discuss the price, the defendant allegedly pulled up his jacket to show a waistband with the butt of a pistol sticking out, according to the victim’s account in court records.
The suspect then said, “I am going to need this for free,” according to the detective’s report.
Deputies served a search warrant on an address they had for Martinez on May 1, recovering a tan Glock 4.5mm BB gun, a black BB gun, a “silver color slide with black lower receiver BB gun and a tan rifle-style BB gun with black shoulder stock,” according to the search-warrant inventory.
SCV Sheriff’s Station officials have warned in the past about the dangers of using such apps to meet for large transactions in private spaces. The station offers a well-lit space with security cameras for such meetups.
Martinez was released on $100,000 bail following his May 21 arraignment, when he pleaded not guilty.
He’s due back in court in August for a hearing to schedule his preliminary hearing. At a preliminary hearing, the evidence and any affirmative defense is presented, and a judge decides whether there’s enough to hold a trial.
