A documented gang member pleaded not guilty to two felony counts Friday following his arrest — with another documented gang member — for allegedly driving recklessly and having approximately one ounce of methamphetamine in his vehicle.
Robert Miranda Rojas, 49, and 47-year-old Raymond Michael Rojas were stopped Wednesday by officers with the Coachella Valley Violent Crime Gang Task Force on suspicion of reckless driving near Avenue 53 and Lee Street in Coachella, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. It was unclear if the pair are related.
Deputies identified them as documented gang members, and said Robert Rojas was on supervised release from a prior conviction for narcotics sales.
A search of the vehicle turned up approximately one ounce of suspected methamphetamine, according to the sheriff’s department.
Robert Rojas was charged with possession of a controlled substance for sale and for importing/selling/distributing a controlled substance into the state. He pleaded not guilty to both charges and was being held without bail, with his next court appearance scheduled for June 1 at the Larson Justice Center.
Raymond Rojas, the driver, was charged with three felony counts — possession of a controlled substance for sale, importing/selling/distributing a controlled substance into the state and evading arrest. He was freed on a $50,000 bond Thursday, and is slated to be arraigned Aug. 2 at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.