A man accused of holding up a Riverside business and stealing thousands of dollars was charged Wednesday with armed robbery.
Zeferino Medrano, 20, of Riverside was arrested Friday following an investigation into the robbery in the 3800 block of Victoria Avenue, near University Avenue.
Medrano is being held in lieu of $250,000 bail at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside and is slated to make his initial court appearance Thursday at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
Two others were taken into custody at the apartment where Medrano was located — Sergio Rabago and Vanessa Garcia, both 35 and of Riverside.
Rabago was booked into the downtown jail on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a gun, possession of controlled substances and transportation of illegal drugs for sale. He’s being held in lieu of $200,000 bail and has not been charged in connection with the robbery.
Garcia was released on her own recognizance after being arrested on suspicion of drug-related activity.
According to Officer Ryan Railsback of the Riverside Police Department, the holdup happened about 11:20 a.m. Friday, when Medrano and another suspect, whose identity has not been confirmed, rushed into the business with handguns and stole $12,000 in cash while holding the employees at gunpoint.
With the help of the multi-agency Riverside County Gang Impact Team, detectives quickly identified Medrano as one of the hold-up men, Railsback said.
A search warrant was obtained for the residence where the defendant was last known to be staying, in the 2300 block of Fifth Street, and law enforcement personnel served it there on Friday evening, according to the police spokesman.
He said Medrano, Rabago and Garcia were all taken into custody without incident, and investigators seized “nearly 15 pounds of methamphetamine … and a loaded, concealed handgun” in the apartment.
Medrano has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County, but court records show he has several unresolved misdemeanor cases pending.
No background information was available on either Rabago or Garcia.