Indio man tied to multiple robberies and burglaries across the Coachella Valley

Police say 40 year old Samuel David Lawson Jr. is responsible for several robberies and burglaries dating back to 2011.

Nearly 50 felony charges were filed against Lawson, including one misdemeanor battery count for alleged crimes stretching back to August 2011.

He was scheduled to be arraigned Monday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.

Lawson was arrested about 1 a.m. Thursday on suspicion of committing a burglary in the 74000 block of Country Club Drive in Palm Desert.

“Lawson had key pieces of evidence that tied him to armed robberies and commercial burglaries throughout the valley,” Riverside County sheriff’s Sgt. Tom Brewster said.

Information obtained through search warrants for Lawson’s vehicles and residence implicated Lawson in armed robberies at fast food restaurants and gas station convenience stores and burglaries at businesses from August 2011 until Thursday, Brewster said.

Law enforcement agencies in Palm Desert, Thermal, Cathedral City, Palm Springs, Indio and El Centro were involved in the investigation.

Lawson was booked into the county jail in Indio and was being held in lieu of $500,000 bail, according to jail records.