Co-Defendants Sentenced to Prison for Kidnap and Attempted Armed Robbery of Garda World Facility

Defendant Milton Orlando Gamez-Fierro, 41 years old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced yesterday to 18 years in state prison as a result of his June plea to two counts of attempted robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm at a peace officer with the intent to resist arrest. His co-defendant Jesus Gomez-Rosales, 29 years old of Compton, CA, was also sentenced yesterday to 8 years and 8 months in state prison as a result of his plea to kidnapping and attempted robbery. Both defendants admitted personally using a firearm in connection with the offenses.

District Attorney Ravitch stated, “What could have been an even more violent encounter was thwarted by the quick thinking by the victims. Nonetheless the actions of these defendants merits the sentences they received.”

A Santa Rosa Police Department investigation revealed that on March 2^nd of this year the defendants staked-out the Garda World facility in Santa Rosa as two employees secured the building and left. Shortly thereafter, Gamez-Fiero emerged from the darkness wearing a black mask and forced the two employees at gunpoint to re-enter the building. Gomez-Rosales followed them inside and stood watch.

Once in the building, Gamez-Fierro directed the employees to open the walk-in vault to gain access to the money inside. However, as the employees opened the vault they quickly ran inside, shut the vault door behind them, activated a silent alarm and called 911.

A Santa Rosa Police Officer quickly arrived on scene and confronted Gamez-Fierro who pointed his firearm at the officer. The officer discharged his firearm at Gamez-Fierro, striking him twice. Gamez-Fierro fled into a nearby creek before he was located and provided medical attention.

Gomez-Rosales was later found hiding in an armored truck inside the facility. A 9mm semi-automatic handgun was recovered nearby and Gomez-Rosales subsequently admitted he had possessed the firearm during the robbery.

Gamez-Fierro had previously been convicted in Federal Court for robbing the same Garda World facility in 2011, after which he was sentenced to serve four years in prison. He was on federal parole for that offense at the time of the instant crime.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Christopher Brown. The Santa Rosa Police Department Violent Crime Investigation Team headed the investigation.