The second suspect wanted in connection with an alleged armed robbery in Schuylkill County has now been taken into custody.
The Pennsylvania State Police announced Thursday that Jayson Garcia, 42, of Tower City, was apprehended on August 5 by the Pennsylvania State Police Fugitive Task Force in Schuylkill County.
Garcia had been wanted alongside Paul Gregory Laurusevage, 40, of Mahanoy City, following a July 31 armed robbery in West Mahanoy Township. Laurusevage was taken into custody earlier this week.
According to court records, Garcia was arraigned on August 5 and is being held at Schuylkill County Prison after failing to post $200,000 monetary bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 19 before Magisterial District Judge Edward Tarantelli.
State police allege Garcia and Laurusevage robbed Walter Ridall Jr. at gunpoint after luring him to a residence in Girardville. Investigators say the pair forced the victim into a brown Dodge Dakota pickup truck and drove him to the Ashland Food Mart, where they ordered him to withdraw as much money as possible from an ATM. When the victim was unable to access cash because his debit card had been locked, police allege he was taken to his residence, where the suspects obtained $3,000 in cash before demanding an additional $5,000 the following day. When the victim refused, investigators say he was threatened with death.
During the investigation, troopers determined Garcia and Laurusevage had rented a room at the Country Squire in Schuylkill Haven but had checked out before police arrived. Arrest warrants were subsequently obtained for both men, who investigators initially considered armed and dangerous.
Garcia faces the same nine charges as Laurusevage, including robbery, unlawful restraint, persons not to possess firearms, theft by unlawful taking, simple assault, two counts of terroristic threats, reckless endangerment, and possession of an instrument of crime.
With Garcia's arrest, both suspects in the alleged armed robbery are now in custody awaiting preliminary hearings.