Sarasota News Leader

07/18/2014

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The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, working in conjunction with the U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force, has captured two suspects wanted "for the brutal home invasion robbery on Santurce Avenue in North Port last April," the office announced in a news release. Early on April 25, "two men forced their way into the home and held the victims at gun- point, bound their hands and demanded their wallets and keys to vehicles parked out front," the release says. When the suspects freed the hands of one of the victims so he could sign the vehicle titles over to the suspects, the victims fought back, the release adds. "There was a long, violent fight between the victims and their attackers," leaving all parties with serious injuries, it continues. The victims described the first suspect as a tall, heavy Hispanic man with short black hair and a tattoo on his right forearm. They described the second suspect as a young man whom the first suspect called "Junior" several times, the release notes. Forensic technicians collected evidence, including blood samples, weapons and clothing worn by the suspects. A fingerprint recovered from duct tape was a positive match to Armando Rojas Jr., 16, the release says. Detectives presented photos of Rojas and his father, Armando Rojas Sr., 37, to the victims, and they both positively identified the father as the first attacker who came through the door, the release continues. The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office Fugitive Apprehension Unit developed informa- tion that the suspects were living in Pharr, TX, and forwarded the lead to the Texas Gulf Coast Fugitive Task Force, the release explains. Both suspects were taken into cus- tody on July 14. They are charged with two counts each of Home Invasion Robbery with a Weapon, Kidnapping and Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle. They were incarcerated in the Hidalgo County Jail in Texas to await extradi- tion to Sarasota County. FUGITIVES WANTED IN HOME INVASION CASE REPORTED CAPTURED Armando Rojas Sr./Contributed photo Press Releases & News Tips News@SarasotaNewsLeader.com Sarasota News Leader July 18, 2014 Page 79

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