A 28-year-old convicted felon, who’s suspected of committing a pair of armed robberies in Santa Ana on the Fourth of July with an accomplice who remains at large, is behind bars on weapons-related charges while prosecutors consider bringing additional counts against him.
Tien Anh Ho, also known as Brian Ho, of Garden Grove, was identified as one of two suspects who allegedly robbed M & Toi Cafe at 4702 W. First St. and Dey’s Doughnuts & Croissants at 630 S. Euclid St. within a 10-minute span on the morning of July 4, according to Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna.
Ho was arrested by Orange County sheriff’s deputies in unincorporated Fountain Valley on July 9, a day before Santa Ana police released surveillance video of the Independence Day heists in the hopes it would lead to arrests. Investigators in Westminster and Garden Grove recognized Ho and tipped Santa Ana police, Bertagna said.
Ho pleaded not guilty Monday to charges related to his arrest in the Fountain Valley area, including one felony count each of possession of a firearm by a felon, a convicted felony carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, a prohibited person owning ammunition and identity theft. He additionally is charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and falsely representing himself to an officer, both misdemeanors, and is due Friday at the West Justice Center in Westminster for a pretrial hearing.
He has not been charged with the Santa Ana robberies.
Ho has a lengthy criminal history that includes guilty pleas to drug and gun charges in June 2010, to assault with a deadly weapon in April 2012, and to leading police on a chase and possession of drug paraphernalia in June 2014, according to court records.