Suspect in armed robbery charged

Six felony charges and four misdemeanor charges were filed Tuesday against the Yuma man wanted in connection with an armed robbery in Yuma last week.

In the first of three separate and unrelated criminal complaints filed against him in Yuma Justice Court, Jesse Ramos Teposte was charged with one count of armed robbery for allegedly using a handgun to rob a snack bar.

Prosecutor Levi Gunderson of the Yuma County Attorney’s Office asked the judge to set Teposte’s bond in the armed robbery case at $1 million, saying he was a flight risk based on the circumstances of the case and that he has two previous felony convictions and has been to prison.

"The basic facts of the case are, this defendant entered a store off of 8th Street, west of Avenue A with a handgun demanding money. The handgun was covered by a cloth or towel of some sort, although the information seems to be that at one point one of the people inside the store actually did see the gun," Gunderson said. "They gave Teposte money at his demand. It was only $30, but he took the money and left the store. Sometime later, nearby, just a matter of a few blocks away, he got out of a vehicle and fled on foot."

Yuma Justice of the Peace Greg Stewart, in addition to setting Teposte’s bond at $750,000 in this case, also appointed a public defender to represent him and set his next court date for 4 p.m. Oct. 14.

"I’m unemployed. I’m going to need an attorney, though," Teposte said. "I don’t know if I’m going to get a public defender or if my family is going to get me an attorney. I don’t know yet."

In the second criminal complaint filed against him, Teposte was charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault per domestic violence, one felony count of kidnapping per domestic violence, one felony count of obstructing a criminal investigation and misdemeanor counts of assault per domestic violence, theft and criminal damage per domestic violence.

Stewart set Teposte’s bond at $200,000 on these charges and again appointed a public defender to represent him. He also scheduled his next court on these particular charges for 4 p.m. Oct. 14.

In the third and final criminal complaint, which stemmed from a warrant being issued for his arrest for a failure to appear, Teposte was charged with one count of resisting arrest. His bond was set at $5,000 and a public defender was appointed. His next court date on these charges will be 4 p.m. Oct. 14.

Teposte, 24, allegedly robbed the Raspados Arco Iris Snack Bar, 1225 W. 8th St., Suite C, with a handgun Thursday afternoon. He fled the store and entered a white 1996 Nissan Altima driven by a woman that police did not identify. She was arrested a short time later, but Teposte escaped.

On Saturday, the Yuma Police Department received a tip the fugitive was hiding in an apartment in Somerton near the intersection of State and George streets. YPD, with the aid of the Cocopah Police Department, Somerton Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Marshal’s Office, began surveillance of the property.

At about 6:20 p.m., officers in the area saw Teposte leave the apartment and try to flee on foot. A police dog chased down the fugitive and pounced on him, keeping him subdued long enough for officers to catch up and handcuff him.

Wounded by the dog during the scuffle, Teposte was transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center to receive treatment.