Court Briefs: March 9, 2013
The Chico man who faces up to 16 years in prison for his part in robbing a Corning bank and sandwich shop at gunpoint will face more charges in Colusa County.
Gary Belcher, 57, is scheduled to be sentenced March 18 in Tehama County Superior Court on two counts of second-degree burglary and a special allegation of using a fiream in commission of a felony.
Then he has a date in Colusa County.
"He will be transported down here after he is sentenced," District Attorney John Poyner said.
Belcher has already been charged with robbery, burglary and a special allegation of using a fiream in commission of a felony for reportedly robbing the US Bank in Colusa on Aug. 31. Poyner has been waiting for the Tehama case to run its course.
Colusa police said a man fitting Belcher's description entered the bank, pulled a gun and demanded the bank teller put money in a bag he provided.
The robber got away with an undisclosed amount of money.
The robbery was very similar to how the Bank of America in Corniing was robbed Sept. 10, which Belcher admitted committing as part of his plea bargain with the Tehama County District Attorney's Office.
Belcher reportedly confessed to robbing the Bank of America, a Subway shop and said he tried to rob a gas station at the Rolling Hills Casino, according to Corning police Chief Don Atkins.
The confessions reportedly took place as Belcher was being transported from Butte County to Tehama County after he had been arrested in Chico on Sept. 13.
During that ride, Atkins said, Belcher reportedly confessed to robbing the US Bank in Colusa as well.
In other recent court matters:
• An additional charge of conspiracy to commit murder has been added to the murder and attempted murder charges against Armando G. Leon, 16, and Pedro H. Herrera, 18, in the shooting death of 14-year-old Miguel Muniz in Colusa on Aug. 23.
A hearing has been scheduled for March 20 to give the defense attorneys an opportunity to object to the second amended criminal complaint brought by the District Attorney's Office.
Leon and Herrera have preliminary hearings scheduled for May 2-3.
• Jermaine L. Roberts, 35, of Colusa, appeared in court Wednesday, but his appointment to set a date for a preliminary hearing was continued to March 27. Roberts is charged with a variety of felonies, including kidnapping, oral copulation by force and assault with a deadly weapon, not a firearm, with the likelihood of causing great bodily injury. He reportedly kept a Yuba City woman in his house against her will for 10 days and severely beat her.
• Juan M. Hernandez, 28, of Grimes, is re-scheduled for arraignment in Colusa County Superior Court on a variety of felonies that include rape and assault with a deadly weapon. His first appearance was continued to March 20 for appointment of an attorney.
