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SALT LAKE CITY — A teen who thought he was helping a 17-year-old girl by paying for her gasoline became the victim of a violent robbery and kidnapping, according to police, after the girl allegedly set him up.
The girl and two men were arrested after a Salt Lake City police SWAT team was called out to serve two warrants Sunday at separate locations.
The series of events began just before 1:30 a.m. Sunday when police were called to a motel near the Salt Lake City International Airport on a report that a 17-year-old boy had just been robbed, according to a police booking affidavit.
The boy told officers that a couple of days ago, he met a girl at a gas station "who claimed she needed help paying for gas and that she had no money," the affidavit states.
The boy paid for her gas and got the girl's contact information. On Saturday, he met up with the girl and again paid for her gas, according to the affidavit. He then arranged to get a motel room with the girl, according to the affidavit.
"The victim stated that as he was going into the room, two males followed him in and one of them punched him in the face while the second held him at gunpoint. He stated that the female and the two male suspects stole his cellphone, wallet and car keys. The victim later learned that they also stole his car that contained valuable collecting cards," the affidavit states.
Investigators also obtained surveillance video from the motel which shows the two men following the girl and victim into the motel room.
"They hold the victim in the room for 13 minutes against his will before leaving," the affidavit states. After her arrest, the girl "admitted to setting up the victim so that Anthony and the other male could rob him in the motel room."
Salt Lake police spotted the boy's car about 7 a.m. Sunday near 1100 West and 600 North being driven by the teen girl. After arresting the girl, a SWAT team served a warrant in Salt Lake City and another in Millcreek and took the two men into custody.
Anthony Delacruz Penegar, 28, and Jayson Boal, 29, were arrested for investigation of aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping.
According to police, "Anthony has a violent history and is a documented member of a violent street gang" and was on parole at the time of the robbery. Detectives used the information recorded on Penegar's GPS ankle monitor to show he was at the motel when the teen was robbed, the affidavit states.
"While the investigation was ongoing, Anthony attempted to contact his (Adult Probation and Parole) agent in an effort to determine if he was a suspect in this case," the affidavit continues. "He eventually fled to a residence … and then refused to exit the house when officers surrounded the home and tried to call him out."
