Authorities have arrested five suspects tied to a series of armed robberies in Fresno County during the summer of 2024, including individuals believed to be connected to a violent Venezuelan gang, officials said Wednesday.

Detectives with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium say the suspects — all residents of Mendota — were involved in four separate robberies that occurred over a two-week span in August.

Those arrested and booked into the Fresno County Jail include Anderson Vega Laya, 31; Helan Lopez Sanchez, 29; Aaron Sojo Moreno, 25; Yan Garcia-Heredia, 22; and Albert Hinegues, 19.

All five face felony charges that include robbery and illegal firearms possession. Detectives believe Vega Laya, Lopez Sanchez, Sojo Moreno and Garcia-Heredia may have ties to Tren de Aragua, a notorious Venezuelan gang.

August 2024 Crime Spree

The crime spree began around 10 p.m. on Aug. 4, when three masked men robbed a taco stand off Highway 33 near Mendota. They stole cash, a Jeep, and personal items from customers. Ten minutes later, they ambushed a man nearby, stealing his Honda Accord and abandoning the previously stolen Jeep. The Honda was later found abandoned.

On Aug. 9, three armed suspects robbed the Shasta Market west of Kerman, fleeing in a 2014 Ford C-Max. A week later, the same vehicle was used in a robbery at Buhler Country Store in Mendota, where four masked gunmen stole cash from the register.

Deputies found the C-Max torched in a rural area outside Mendota on Aug. 20. The discovery helped detectives identify individuals connected to the car, and in September, several search warrants yielded evidence linking the suspects to the crimes.

Arrests followed over several months. Hinegues and Vega Laya were taken into custody in early January. Later that month, SWAT officers arrested Lopez Sanchez at a Motel 6 in Fresno.

Investigators say he pointed an AR-15-style rifle toward the door and pulled the trigger multiple times, but the weapon malfunctioned and did not fire. He was taken into custody without further incident.

Sojo Moreno was arrested in Colorado and extradited to Fresno County, where he was booked on April 11. Garcia-Heredia was arrested during a separate search in Mendota.

Got a Tip?

Anyone with information about the suspects or related cases is urged to call the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 600-3111 or Valley Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-7867. Anonymous tips may be eligible for a cash reward. Reference case number 25-9390.

—

Connect with Anthony W. Haddad on social media. Got a tip? Send an email.