Felon accused of robbing Banning business to stand trial

BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) - A 38-year-old transient accused of holding up a Banning business using a fake gun must stand trial for second-degree robbery and other offenses, a judge ruled today.  

Codi Jay Shelton was arrested last December following a Banning Police Department investigation.  

At the end of a preliminary hearing Wednesday, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Sylvia Luttrell found there was sufficient evidence to bound Shelton over for trial on the robbery count, as well as sentence-enhancing allegations of using a weapon during the commission of a felony and being a prior-strike felon.   

The judge scheduled a post-preliminary hearing arraignment for Oct. 8 at the Banning Justice Center.  

Shelton is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the nearby Smith Correctional Facility.   

According to police, at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 16, Shelton allegedly approached the counter of a Jack-in-the-Box restaurant at 6350 W. Ramsey St. and flashed what appeared to be a handgun, prompting staff to back away.   

"The subject stole cash from one of the registers and fled on foot,'' police Capt. Brandon Smith said at the time.   

No one was injured.   

He said that patrol officers responded to restaurant employees' 911 calls and initiated a search of the area, based on descriptions, which indicated the perpetrator had "tattoos on his face.'' However, the bandit couldn't be located.

Officers reviewed security surveillance video from inside the eatery and confirmed the alleged robber's identity -- Shelton -- Smith said.   

The defendant was located less than three hours later and taken into custody without incident on West Beaumont Avenue.   

Smith alleged a replica pistol and cash from the robbery were seized from Shelton.  

Court records indicated that he has at least two documented prior felony convictions, but they weren't listed.