OCEAN CITY – Resort police this week closed the books on the investigation of an armed robbery at a downtown hotel in June with the arrests of two of the three suspects still wanted in the case after tracking them to Pennsylvania.
Around 5:45 a.m. on June 11, Ocean City police responded to the Americana Hotel for a reported armed robbery. When officers arrived on the scene, they were told three masked individuals brandishing handguns entered the hotel lobby around 5 a.m. The armed robbers then stole money and property from the hotel and the desk clerk before heading off in an unknown direction. At the time of the robbery, the suspects were wearing white masks with holes cut out for the eyes and mouths.
During the investigation, OCPD detectives were able to obtain information that led them to a suspect from Reading, Pa., later identified as Jose Antonio Vasquez, 17, of Reading. At around 11:30 p.m. that night, OCPD investigators, with the assistance of the Reading Police Department, located and arrested Vasquez in his hometown and took him into custody.
Vasquez was later extradited to Worcester County and charged with armed robbery, false imprisonment, first- and second-degree assault, use of a handgun in the commission of a felony and felony theft over $500 for his role in the incident. Because of the severity of the charges, Vasquez has been charged as an adult. He was incarcerated after a preliminary hearing on July 13 and his next court date is set for August 17.
With Vasquez in custody, OCPD detectives were still working on the identities of the other two suspects. Following leads and other evidence in the case, investigators were able to track the two other suspects wanted in the robbery, both of whom are also from Reading. On Tuesday, OCPD detectives traveled to Reading and arrested the other two suspects wanted in connection with the armed robbery back on June 11.
Arrested this week in Pennsylvania were Jordan Raker, 18, and Aaron Taylor, 19, both of Reading. Raker and Taylor face the same charges as Vasquez including armed robbery, assault, false imprisonment, theft and the use of a handgun in the commission of a felony. As of yesterday, both men were being held in the Berks County Prison in Leesport, Pa. awaiting extradition to Worcester County to face the charges.