SANTA CLARA COUNTY – 22-year-old Joshua Michael Cortez of San Jose faced the Honorable Deborah Ryan on Friday, September 11, accused of multiple counts of robbery under PC 211-212.5 (c). Because of the number of cases charged against the defendant, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office asked that all of them be consolidated into a single indictment. The defending attorney has asked for a 60-day hold to go over court discovery packets, containing detailed evidence that has been gathered against Cortez.
On Wednesday, May 6, Cortez was found to have been shoplifting at the Orchard Supply Hardware located at 5651 Cottle Road in San Jose. It was estimated that he had taken over $950.00 worth of items from this location. The loss prevention employee at OSH stated that a young male had run out of the store with a nail gun after an employee had gotten into an argument with him about failing to pay for the merchandise. Cortez was able to flee the area. An SJPD officer responding to the scene was able to collect evidence identifying Cortez as the culprit.
The Sunnyvale Lowe’s on Arques Avenue.
The Sunnyvale Police Department also reported a possible robbery on May 9, for which Cortez is accused of taking property from a local Lowe’s hardware store, and even threatened a female victim with bodily harm in the incident. Sunnyvale Police responded to the Lowe’s, located at 811 East Arques Avenue on reports of a theft. Cortez had been contacted by a female employee as he had tried to walk past her without paying for a tool he was carrying. Cortez told her to move out of the way or he would assault her. Cortez told the employee, “If you try and go after me I will hit you with this!”
Cortez had reportedly been involved in similar crimes at several other Lowe’s locations, when he would grab a tool and place it in a shopping cart, and then leave through the garden area. He was often recognized because, according to Sunnyvale PD officers, “Cortez has a very distinctive tattoo and hair.”
The San Jose PD also reported several thefts from their stores on May 5th and May 9th. Cortez was identified by robbery investigators as the person responsible for multiple tool thefts that occurred in a similar fashion throughout San Jose. Cortez faces more than nine felony counts of robbery and threatening harm to store employees.
The next court date for Cortez has been scheduled for November 2, 2015 at 9:00 AM in Dept 30. Cortez is expected to enter a plea at that time.
