Attempted Cannabis Robbery Results in Fatality: Two Men Sentenced to Prison

Two individuals have been sentenced to prison following their involvement in an attempted cannabis robbery that tragically led to the death of another man. Jose Antonio Alvarez and Omar Rojo, both 25 years old, recently entered no contest pleas to voluntary manslaughter and were formally sentenced in late October, according to a report by Bay Area News Group.

The court handed down an identical prison sentence of 16 years to both Alvarez and Rojo. Initially, the two defendants faced charges of murder and robbery in connection with the death of 25-year-old Jaime Valdovinos.

The incident occurred in late September 2019 when Rojo and Alvarez targeted Valdovinos and another individual for a robbery involving a substantial amount of marijuana, as reported by Bay Area News Group.

Oakland police, at the time, stated that the surviving victim recounted how Rojo and another suspect robbed them of a large quantity of marijuana. During the struggle to retrieve the stolen cannabis, the two suspects shot and killed Valdovinos, according to NBC Bay Area.

Rojo, who was 20 years old at the time, faced charges of special circumstances murder only days after the shooting. Officer Michael Jaeger of the Oakland police noted in a probable cause statement that Rojo had been observed in the rear seat of a vehicle where Valdovinos and the other man were sitting, as reported by NBC Bay Area.

On the other hand, Alvarez managed to evade arrest until April 2021 when he was finally apprehended, as stated in a report by Mercury News.

Bay Area News Group provided further details on the sentencing of the two men. According to police reports, both Rojo and Alvarez fired their guns during the setup. The fatal shooting occurred when the victims attempted to reclaim the stolen marijuana, as revealed by Oakland police investigators. Surveillance videos and witness testimonies played a crucial role in identifying Alvarez as a suspect. As part of the plea deal, the court has ordered both defendants to maintain distance from the surviving victim and to refrain from possessing firearms upon their release from prison. Initially, both men faced charges that could have resulted in life imprisonment without parole.

The Ongoing Dangers of the Illicit Drug Trade

This disturbing case sheds light on the persisting dangers associated with the illegal drug trade. Law enforcement agencies in the Bay Area continue their efforts to combat such activities.

Just a few months ago, authorities conducted a raid on a warehouse in Oakland, uncovering millions of dollars’ worth of cannabis plants. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which participated in the operation, described it as one of the largest cannabis busts in the state this year, as reported by High Times.

In response to the raid, Janice Mackey, a spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, emphasized their commitment to tackling illegal cannabis operations in various forms, including outdoor and warehouse grows. Mackey stated that their cannabis enforcement program works collaboratively with state and county partners to gather intelligence and conduct investigations into every aspect of the illegal cannabis supply chain.

According to local news station KGO, the raid resulted in the eradication of 41,082 illegal cannabis plants and the destruction of 1,841 pounds of processed cannabis. The estimated retail value of the seized products amounted to $36,930,300. Additionally, law enforcement recovered three firearms during the operation.

Unfortunately, incidents of theft and robbery within the cannabis industry are not uncommon. Last year, an armed robbery took place at a dispensary in Oakland, resulting in the theft of products worth $100,000. Alan Sorrentino, the owner of C.R.A.F.T. Cannabis, described how the robbers cut the power to the building before carrying out the burglary. Despite the alarm company’s notifications and multiple calls to the Oakland police, Sorrentino was unable to prevent the theft. He watched the entire ordeal unfold on surveillance cameras as the robbers looted the dispensary for several hours, leaving behind a trail of destruction, including broken locks, walls, and stair steps.