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Why were violent Paso Robles bank robbery suspects released?

November 29, 2018

Edward Ivan Ochoa, Jose Christian Ramirez, and Luis Rios Rico

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

Two of the three suspects arrested for robbing Chase Bank in Paso Robles last week have been let out of jail, and San Luis Obispo County prosecutors have yet to file charges against any of the men. [Cal Coast Times]

As first noted in a Tribune report, the SLO County DA’s Office is continuing to investigate the robbery, but is refraining from charging Edward Ivan Ochoa, Luis Rios Rico and Jose Christian Ramirez. Assistant District Attorney Eric Dobroth told Cal Coast Times the DA’s office’s filing deputy did not believe there was sufficient evidence to file charges.

Shortly after 6 p.m. on Nov. 20, five robbers dressed in black clothing, wearing masks and armed with handguns and a rifle, entered the bank and demanded cash. Before leaving the bank, one of the robbers struck a bank employees on the eye with a rifle.

Following the robbery, CHP officers located a vehicle matching the description of the robber’s car that was traveling more than 100 mph on northbound Highway 101. CHP officers stopped the vehicle and found three occupants matching the descriptions of the robbers, who were subsequently arrested.

Ochoa and Rico are currently out of jail, while Ramirez remains in custody, according to the county sheriff’s office website. Ramirez, unlike the other two suspects, is facing a probation violation charge, in addition to being a suspect in the robbery.

California law requires defendants to be taken before a judge within 48 hours of their arrest, excluding hours that fall on Sundays and holidays. The robbery suspects were arrested on the night of Nov. 20 and were never arraigned.

Thanksgiving and the day after, which are court holidays, fell on Nov. 21 and 22. Some critics of the DA’s office are questioning whether prosecutors made a mistake around Thanksgiving and failed to have the suspects brought before a judge on time, forcing authorities to let the alleged robbers go.

There were “no issues of timing related to the release” of the bank robbery suspects, Dobroth said “

“Presently our filing deputy did not believe there was sufficient evidence to file.” Dobroth said. “The case is actively being worked by PRPD and the DA Bureau of Investigation. There is significant evidence to be processed that was seized in the investigation.”

 


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We probably don’t want to know at this point and should let time do the work.


-6

The keystone DA’s office….Do they ever do anything right?


12

I would think the “right” you’re referring to, and in search of, would be charging and convicting the right person(s), correct? Not some rush to judgement that would result in either a wrongful conviction and the expensive nightmare that would ensue with the appeal(s) that would surely follow. Get it right, the first time, ensuring the cost is minimal to the tax payers…


1

“there were no issues of timing related to the release”,Assistant District Attorney Eric Dobroth, nice attempt to cover your boss’s arse.


12

Maybe they didn’t do it! There was no money and no guns in their car from what I have read about it so far.


5

You’ll find that here on CCN the first consideration given in guilt or innocence is race; these guys are of Latin decent so they of course are guilty until proven innocent. Easier that way; no reasoning involved, no need for evidence, no need for witnesses, just a bunch of white nationalist bone heads rushing to judgement…


-9

And ironically, it’s probably some of the useless overpaid bonehead white nationalist cops in the area that screwed this up and arrested the wrong people.


-3

Profiling; The only true American Culture of the 21st Century!…


-2