Police: Teens hold up kids for cash

Boys allegedly force their way into Española home

Jason Auslander | The New Mexican

4/15/2008 - 4/16/08

Two teenagers accused of using a gun to force their way into an Española home Sunday and rob a 10-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy will remain in juvenile jail after an initial court appearance Tuesday.

State District Judge Barbara Vigil ordered the continued detention for the 13-year-old boy and the 16-year-old boy, who allegedly pointed a .22-caliber handgun at the girl's head, said Assistant District Attorney Gen Lawson and Española police Detective Christian Lopez.

"I find the facts in this particular case to be shocking, given the age of the victims," Lawson said.

Lopez said the 13-year-old and the 16-year-old, who are both from Española, began banging on the door of the victims' home about 1:30 p.m. Sunday and telling the brother and sister inside to let them in. The two teens forced their way inside and demanded the 11-year-old boy give them $1, he said.

The boy pulled out more than $1 from his pocket, and the two intruders demanded all his money, Lopez said. The boy refused and told them he would only give them $1, and the three began fighting over the money, he said. Eventually, the two teens overpowered the 11-year-old and took his money, Lopez said.

After that, the 16-year-old pointed the gun at the girl's head and demanded money from her. Lopez said the teens received no money from the girl, though Lawson said they did. The discrepancy couldn't be cleared up Tuesday. Lawson said the teens made off with a total of $12.

When the teenagers were gone, the brother and sister called their mother, who went to the home and called police, Lopez said. The victims, who were not injured, knew at least one of the teens and an Española police officer recognized the name of one of them, he said.

Officers went to the 16-year-old's residence next to Rodriguez Elementary School in Española and found the 13-year-old and the 16-year-old inside, Lopez said. The two had changed clothes and were getting haircuts from another person, he said. "It sounds like they were trying to change their appearances," Lopez said.

As officers were leading the two out of the trailer, they asked where the gun was, Lopez said. The 16-year-old showed officers a nearby hole where he buried the gun, he said. The 16-year-old stole the gun from his mother and planned to sell it for drugs, Lopez said. He didn't know what kind of drugs the teen wanted or if the gun was loaded at the time of the robbery.

The teens are each charged with aggravated burglary, two counts of robbery, two counts of false imprisonment, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, tampering with evidence, conspiracy and unlawful possession of a handgun. The 16-year-old also is charged with larceny.

Contact Jason Auslander at 986-3076 or :jauslander@sfnewmexican.com.