Friday, March 29, 2024

Sheriff's office looking for suspect in robbery

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An Omak man and Okanogan woman were arrested and charged with robbery after they allegedly forced their way into an orchard cabin near Okanogan and threatened the occupant. A third man who may have ties to Brewster or Pateros is still being sought in the case.

Frank Martinez, 26 and Caitlin Baker, 19 were arrested Tuesday, Oct. 28. Martinez was a passenger in a vehicle that allegedly ran a stop sign; deputies stopped the vehicle, but the driver fled on foot. The driver was identified as Valentin Contreras Garcia, 24, who has connections in the Brewster and Pateros areas, among other places, according to a press release from Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers.

Contreras Garcia is being sought in connection with an incident that occurred Oct. 20 near Omak. Baker allegedly knocked on the door of an orchard cabin on Hart Road; the occupant said he knew Baker, and when he opened the door, two men armed with knives forced their way into the residence. The incident occurred at about 11:50 p.m.

"The victim said that they held a knife to his throat and kept demanding his money," wrote Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers in a press release. "The victim kept telling them that he did not have any money. The victim said that the suspects then grabbed his luggage, clothes, cowboy boots, an air rifle and a guitar and left the scene with the female."

Deputies had identified some suspects and were still looking for them when Deputy Tony Hawley stopped the car on Oct. 28 for running the stop sign. The driver, possibly Contreras Garcia, ran away, but Martinez was still sitting in the car and was arrested. Baker was arrested later that night.

Contreras Garcia is described as 5 feet, 11 inches tall, weighs about 200 pounds, with brown eyes and short brown hair. "Garcia has connections throughout the county, including the Oroville and Tonasket area, Omak and Okanogan area and Brewster and Pateros area," Rogers wrote. He "should be considered possibly armed and dangerous."

Anyone with information on Contreras Garcia's whereabouts is asked to contact the sheriff's office in Okanogan, (509) 422-7232.

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