Armored truck drivers arrested in scheme to swindle $1M
Two armored truck drivers for Loomis Armored were arrested on federal charges Thursday morning, accused of stealing more than $1 million in cash from a shipment being delivered to Bank of America.
Fontana resident Cesar Yanez, 37, and 28-year-old Aldo Esquivel Vega of Pomona, were arrested Thursday morning after search warrants were served at their homes by the FBI and Los Angeles Police Department, according to Thom Mrozek with the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Los Angeles.
Mrozek said agents found about $85,000 in cash at Yanez’ house.
A third person was arrested for her involvement in the scheme as well. Jovita Medina Guman, a 39-year-old woman from San Bernardino, is charged with helping Yanez and Vega hide and disperse the stolen cash and for being an accessory after the fact, Mrozek said in a release.
All three defendants were expected to be arraigned Thursday afternoon in U.S. District Court.
The indictment alleges that Yanez and Vega were transporting a multi-million dollar shipment of cash for Bank of America when they stopped in a parking lot on West Adams Blvd. Vega electronically opened the rear doors of the armored car, which allowed Yanez to access the cash storage area.
Yanez removed $1,086,000 in cash from the armored car and put it in a trash can that was left in the parking lot by a person who hasn’t been identified yet. That person later grabbed the cash from the trash can, according to the indictment.
Later, Guzman allegedly delivered some of the cash to Vega.
Mrozek said Yanez and Vega are each charged with conspiracy to commit bank larceny and bank larceny. Additionally, Yanez and Guzman are charged with possession of bank larceny proceeds, and Guzman is charged as an accessory after the fact to hinder and prevent the apprehension, trial and punishment of her co-defendants.
If the trio are convicted, Yanez would face a maximum sentence of 25 years in federal prison, Vega would face up to 15 years and Guzman could be sentenced to as much as 15 years in custody, according to officials.
The three could also be ordered to pay fines as much as two times the loss suffered by Bank of America.
