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WEST VALLEY CITY — A Utah man now faces numerous felony charges accusing him of randomly robbing teens at gunpoint, including a group of boys walking home from school.
Ty Ortiz Valdovinos, 19, was charged Wednesday in 3rd District Court with aggravated kidnapping and five counts of aggravated robbery, all first-degree felonies.
Valdovinos and two boys, ages 17 and 14, were arrested in connection with a pair of armed robberies on Sept. 8.
On that day, five teens were walking home from Granger High School when a car pulled up next to them near 3300 West and 2900 South. Someone inside the car asked the teens if they "banged," according to charging documents.
When the boys replied that they were not involved in a gang, one of the passengers got out of the car, pointed a gun at them and demanded their chains and money, the charges state. Three of the boys had their jewelry taken.
A short time later, police were called to the Valley Fair Mall, where a boy who was walking to work said a car pulled up net to him and he was forced at gunpoint to get into the back seat.
The boy was driven to a different part of the parking lot where three people inside the car then stole the boy's backpack and wallet, according to the charges. Then police say the occupants gave him one of the gold chains they had just taken in the previous robbery and told him to get out of the car.
Based on information gathered from the two robberies, including surveillance video, police were able to track down the car to a residence where the two teens were found and Valdovinos was later arrested.
It was not known Thursday whether charges have been filed in juvenile court against the teen suspects.
