HESPERIA – Three suspects, accused of armed robbery of a smoke shop, are scheduled to appear in a Victorville courthouse on Tuesday to face arraignment.
The suspects, which includes two men and woman, kicked off a neighborhood manhunt in the 17200 block of Main St. after two, armed masked men robbed the Best Price Smoke Shop, escaping in a green van shortly before 10 a.m. on Friday.
Jermaine Brown, 32, of Adelanto, Sterling Ghoston, 25, of San Bernardino, and, later, Kearia Brown, 25, the wife of Jermaine Brown, were arrested in connection with the robbery. San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department deputies from a handful of area divisions, converged on the area around the store, setting up a perimeter at Hesperia Road, Third Avenue, Chestnut Street. and Yucca Street.
During the robbery, suspects held a victim and members of his family captive in the store, leading to an eventual charge of kidnapping, said a police spokesman.
The male suspects had left their car, fled on foot and were chased down by deputies who later recovered the gun used in the robbery. Evidence later linked Kearia Brown, who was not present at the crime, to the robbery, investigators said. Hesperia deputies, using a search warrant, entered a residence on the 14000 block of Allendale Circle in Adelanto, which is a neighboring community.
Sheriff’s deputies said a man who watched the suspects fleeing, followed them at a safe distance and reported to authorities, was a key element in their capture. His assistance, according to a statement, “was instrumental in the capture of the two suspects.”
Kearia Brown, contacted by investigators at about 7 p.m. on Friday, was later arrested as part of the robbery. She was booked at the High Desert Detention Center in Adelanto, charged with armed robbery and conspiracy. She was being held on $100,000 bail.
Ghoston, meanwhile, was discovered to have had a felony no-bail warrant for violating the terms of a domestic violence conviction. Brown had been on parole for residential robbery, said investigators. Neither man was eligible for bail because of previous arrest records. They were booked into the High Desert Detention Center on charges of armed robbery, plus kidnapping.
One victim, according to a release, was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital, sustained during the robbery.
Surrounding agencies from Victorville, Apple Valley and Victor Valley stations backed up the Hesperia deputies. A sheriff’s helicopter, the Specialized Enforcement Division and a police dog from the Rancho Cucamonga station were also used in the manhunt.
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Daily Press: Third suspect arrested in armed robbery
