POLICE have arrested a man who grabbed a designer purse from a woman, and the suspected driver of the getaway car.
At a hearing last week, Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph Camacho imposed a $100,000 cash bail on each of the defendants: George Taitano Lieto Jr. and Raymond Palacios. The two are charged with robbery and conspiracy.
According to the Department of Public Safety, on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021, at about 1:28 a.m., it received a 911 call reporting a suspicious vehicle driving around before parking in front of an apartment complex in San Antonio.
At the scene, officers met with a woman who stated that she had just been robbed of her brown Coach purse on Laiguan Ave.
She said the man who grabbed her purse was a tall individual wearing dark clothing with a white mask covering his face. The man fled the scene.
Another witness told police that a dark-colored Mazda 3 sedan bearing the license plate AFM 561 picked up an individual matching the description of the robber.
A description of the vehicle and the robber was given to DPS dispatch, which relayed the information to all police units.
Minutes later police spotted the vehicle on the main road with Palacios driving and Lieto as the passenger.
Police conducted a violator stop and advised the two to step out of the vehicle. An officer then saw a brown Coach purse inside the vehicle.
Once the purse was positively identified as belonging to the victim, both individuals were arrested and transported to the Department of Corrections where they were booked and detained.
Probable cause
At a court hearing on Wednesday, George Taitano Lieto Jr., waived his right to a preliminary hearing. Attorney Vincent Seman was appointed to represent Lieto.
His co-defendant, Raymond Palacios, was represented by court-appointed attorney Robert T. Torres who asked the court to dismiss the charge against his client.
Torres said there was no actual evidence that his client was involved in the robbery, just that he was driving a vehicle.
“Police who apprehended him did not even ask if he was involved in the incident,” Torres added.
After hearing from the parties, Superior Court Associate Judge Wesley Bogdan found probable cause to charge Palacios with conspiracy and robbery.
The judge noted that the proper forum for the points raised by the defense attorney is either at the trial or through motions.
Assistant Attorney General Steven Kessel appeared for the government.
Palacios and Lieto were ordered to return to court on Oct. 18, 2021 at 9 a.m. for their arraignment
George Lieto Jr.
Raymond Palacios
