Second Suspect Arrested In Cherry Valley Kidnapping

A second suspect in the kidnapping and robbery of a Cherry Valley man was behind bars today, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department reported.

Cabazon resident Bennie Whitfield, a 29-year-old parolee, was arrested around 5 p.m. Sunday when deputies stopped him while patrolling near Seminole Drive and Apache Trail in Cabazon, sheriff’s Sgt. Sean Bahash said.

Authorities had been seeking Whitfield since Aug. 2, and arrested the other suspect, 29-year-old Banning resident Steven Newton, on Aug. 4, Bahash said.

Deputies conducted a “high-risk” warrant stop on Whitfield and booked him into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility, the sergeant said. He was on parole for drug violations at the time of the alleged kidnap-robbery, Bahash said.

There are no other suspects in the case, he said.

The victim, whose name was withheld, was awakened about 4:30 a.m. Aug. 2 by someone knocking on his door in the 38000 block of Cherry Valley Boulevard, Bahash said. When he answered the door, both suspects allegedly produced firearms and threatened to kill him, then forced him into his vehicle and ordered him to drive them to several locations, the sergeant said.

The suspects took his cash and personal property and eventually let him go unharmed, Bahash said. He said the three men knew each other, but did not disclose how.

Authorities sent “stop and detain” fliers to local agencies with photos of Whitfield and Newton. On Aug. 4, Banning police detectives spotted Newton in Banning, detained him and notified sheriff’s investigators, who arrested him.

Newton was allegedly in possession of the Cherry Valley man’s property, and a search warrant was served at his residence, Bahash said.

Newton was being held without bail and Whitfield in lieu of $1 million bail, both at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.

Whitfield was expected to be arraigned Aug. 17, and Newton on Sept. 1 at the Banning courthouse.