A documented gang member pleaded not guilty to three felony counts Tuesday for allegedly driving recklessly and having approximately one ounce of methamphetamine in his vehicle along with another documented gang member.
Raymond Michael Rojas, 47, 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 on May 19 and pleaded not guilty to all charges Tuesday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.
Raymond and Robert Miranda Rojas, 49, were stopped on May 18 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 on May 20 and was freed on a $150,000 bond on June 5.