Three youths charged in 2020 with an assault on a man at a Palm Springs mobile home park will be arraigned again later this month on one felony charge.
Ángel Valtierra, 24, Anthony José López, 23, and Nathan Roldan Ramírez, 23, were originally charged with one felony each of gang activity and assault resulting in grievous bodily injury, with a sentence of accusation of gang activity increases, according to the court. records. Ramirez was also charged with witness intimidation and faces a charge of promoting gang conduct.
At the end of a preliminary hearing Wednesday afternoon, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Dean Benjamin dismissed the gang activity charge, but ruled there was sufficient evidence to warrant a trial for each defendant on the charges. and remaining charges.
A post-preliminary hearing arraignment was set for March 22.
According to the Palm Springs Police Department, the trio allegedly struck an unidentified man on November 3, 2020, around 6 p.m. at the Santiago Sunrise Mobile Home Park in the 1500 block of East San Rafael Drive.
The defendants were arrested the following month during a multi-agency raid on a street gang that was allegedly involved in dozens of shootings and three homicides that summer in the Coachella Valley.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, more than 100 law enforcement officers served search warrants at a dozen locations in and around Palm Springs.
The arrest warrants were obtained after gang clashes near the Desert Highlands Gateway Estates neighborhood that then-Palm Springs Police Department Chief Bryan Reyes said was responsible for a 2020 spike in crime.
No weapons were seized during the raid, but the District Attorney’s Office said stolen property and items related to gang activity were found.
None of the defendants have documented felony convictions in Riverside County.
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