Two Coachella men suspected of kidnapping, robbing, assaulting and extorting a man for money were behind bars Friday.
Brian Emmanuel Jamand, 26, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to one felony count each of kidnapping for ransom, robbery and criminal threats to cause great bodily harm, according to court records.
Alexander Henry Edlund, 34, was arrested Friday on suspicion of robbery, aggravated kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon and false imprisonment, according to Sgt. David Aldrich of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
At around 11:20 a.m. Sunday, patrol deputies from the Thermal Station responded to the 50000 block of Cesar Chavez Street regarding a man who was kidnapped, robbed, assaulted and extorted for money, Aldrich said.
The unidentified man left a casino with the suspects and drove to Coachella, where he was assaulted and robbed in the 53500 block of Cesar Chavez Street, according to Aldrich.
The suspects held the victim against his will when he didn’t give them money, which he didn’t have, Aldrich said. The suspects then demanded money from his personal contacts and when the ransom was paid, they released him in the 50000 block of Cesar Chavez Street, Aldrich said.
Paramedics treated the victim’s injuries at the scene.
The Thermal Station Investigations Bureau assumed the investigation and identified Jamand and Edlund as the suspects, according to Aldrich.
Jamand was arrested in the 78000 block of Highway 111 in La Quinta on Sunday and Edlund was arrested in the 83500 block of Indio Boulevard in Indio on Friday.
They were both booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio. Jamand was being held on $1 million bail. Edlund was being held on $85,000 bail.
Jamand is charged with three felony counts of robbery in a separate case on suspicion of robbing a Castaneda’s restaurant, an unidentified beauty store and a Chevron gas station.
Anyone with information on the incident was asked to call Investigator James from the Thermal Station at 760-863-8856 or Valley Crimestoppers at 760-341-7867 (STOP).