Attempted kidnapping suspect pleads not guilty to charges
The suspect accused on Wednesday’s attempted kidnapping of a 9-year-old girl inside a Rancho Mirage grocery store pleaded not guilty on Friday during his arraignment.
39-year-old Roberto Arce Cardenas of Los Angeles, faces kidnapping, evading arrest, firearm and drug possession charges that were filed on Friday.
Roberto Arce Cardenas, 39, is accused of trying to abduct the girl about 11:40 a.m. Wednesday. The child was with her mother at the Gelson’s store in the 36100 block of Bob Hope Drive when Cardenas allegedly tried to pull her away, according to sheriff’s Capt. Jason Huskey.
Employees and the girl’s mother held on to her as the suspect took off in a silver SUV. According to a declaration in support of increased bail, the SUV was idling in the fire lane outside the market during the alleged kidnapping attempt.
Read the orginal story on the attempted kidnapping
Police later spotted the SUV in the parking lot of a Walmart on Monterey Avenue in Palm Desert. The driver refused to pull over, triggering a pursuit that ended around 1:30 p.m. near the intersection of Cottonwood Avenue and Graham Street in Moreno Valley, where Cardenas was taken into custody.
An unloaded rifle and methamphetamine were allegedly found in his possession, according to the declaration.
Cardenas, who’s being held in lieu of $500,000 bail, pleaded not guilty to the charges and will return to court August 29 for a felony settlement conference.
He has no prior felony convictions in Riverside County, but has prior Los Angeles County convictions for robbery, firearm possession and vehicle theft, court records show.
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