3 Fresno teens to be tried as adults in shotgun robbery of woman

Three juveniles will be tried as adults in the sawed-off shotgun robbery of a woman at Senior Citizens Village in southeast Fresno, prosecutors have decided.

On Monday, Federico Otelio Jaime, 16, Daniel Lucero-Baltazar, 15, and Julian Oscar Hernandez, 15, made their first appearance in Fresno County Superior Court.

Police say the 65-year-old victim was coming home from work late on April 20 when the three juveniles approached her at the front door of her home. After one of the defendants put a shotgun in the woman’s back, the robbers forced their way into her home. Inside, they stole her purse, cellphone and other belongings, then ransacked the apartment before fleeing.

A police helicopter crew directed patrol officers to the three suspects walking a short distance from the village. The officers found the boys with a sawed-off shotgun, a knife and the victim’s property, police say.

The three each face felony charges of home-invasion robbery, false imprisonment with violence and assault with a firearm. The complaint identifies Lucero-Baltazar, who also goes by Daniel Lucero, as personally using a shotgun during the crime.

On Monday, the three pleaded not guilty to the charges. If convicted, Lucero-Baltazar faces a minimum of 20 years behind bars, while Jaime and Hernandez each face about 10 years behind bars.

The defendants are being held at the Juvenile Justice Center south of Fresno. Lucero-Baltazar’s bail is $470,000. Jaime and Hernandez are each being held in lieu of $330,000 bail.

This story was originally published April 26, 2016 at 12:54 PM with the headline "3 Fresno teens to be tried as adults in shotgun robbery of woman."