Two South American nationals, allegedly part of a “crime tourism” group, were charged today with the armed robbery of a man sitting on the terrace of a restaurant at a Beverly Hills hotel and stealing a watch valued at $1 million.
While searching the crew’s Airbnb, officers also discovered a handgun registered to notorious former Los Angeles police officer Christopher Dorner, who is believed to have committed a series of murders before being killed in a confrontation with police in 2013, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Jamer Mauricio Sepulveda Salazar, 21, of Columbia, is charged with one count of obstruction of public commerce by robbery (a federal crime under the Hobbs Act) and one count of possession of a weapon in furtherance of a crime of violence; and Jesus Eduardo Padron Rojas, 19, of Venezuela, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit robbery under the Hobbs Act.
According to the affidavit in the complaint, the victim was sitting on the patio of a restaurant at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel with his wife and two daughters on August 7 when one of the suspects approached him and pointed a black semi-automatic pistol at him.
The suspected shooter pulled back the pistol’s slide and loaded a cartridge. While the first suspect held the victim at gunpoint, the second suspect allegedly approached the victim and removed a silver Patek Philippe watch from his wrist, valued at $1 million.
Both suspects then fled the scene and eventually got into a blue Toyota Corolla. According to court documents, Sepulveda acted as the getaway driver.
On Saturday, police executed a search warrant on an Airbnb where the South American gang of thieves had allegedly been staying. During the search, officers found a handgun registered to Dorner in a bedroom. Later that day, police conducted a traffic stop on a Chevrolet Equinox and reportedly identified Sepulveda and Padron inside the vehicle.
The Equinox is believed to be linked to another armed robbery on Aug. 5 in Beverly Hills in which a Rolex worth $30,000 was stolen, prosecutors said.
If convicted on all counts, Sepulveda faces life in federal prison, while Padron faces up to 20 years in prison, prosecutors said.
It was initially unknown where the suspects might have gotten Dorner’s weapon.
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