Felon who stole a wedding ring then tried selling it back to victim sentenced to probation
A felon who stole a wedding ring from a woman in Palm Desert and allegedly attempted to sell it back to her pleaded guilty to felony charges today and was immediately sentenced to two years of formal probation.
Yukon Lee Branch, 47, pleaded guilty Tuesday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio to one felony count each of evading arrest, eluding a peace officer, and grand theft of over $950, according to court records. He had a felony count of extortion dismissed.
He was immediately sentenced to two years of formal probation, according to court records.
Branch was arrested hours after allegedly stealing the ring from the woman in the 34500 block of Monterey Avenue on Dec. 31, 2018.
According to Riverside County Sheriff's Department investigators, Branch met with the woman at about 8:30 p.m. on New Year's Eve, 2018, and stole the ring under the guise of purchasing it after she had posted it for sale online.
Branch grabbed the ring, sped away in a vehicle and later attempted to sell the ring back to her for $500, authorities said.
He was arrested by sheriff's deputies after speeding away from a traffic stop that night near Indian Canyon Drive and Interstate 10, triggering a pursuit through North Palm Springs that ended near Wendy and Tipton roads just before 2 a.m.
Branch has felony convictions in Riverside County from 2015 for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
