Gas Station Robbery Suspect Arrested
updated: Jan 18, 2013, 4:53 PM

Source: Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department

The suspect wanted for robbing two gas stations in a row in December has been arrested. 23-year-old Federico Yepez, who has ties to both Santa Maria and Los Angeles, was taken into custody yesterday in Santa Maria by Sheriff's Detectives and Santa Maria Police Officers. The arrest comes after a lengthy investigation by Sheriff's Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Bureau and Special Investigations Bureau.

The Turnpike Shell Gas Station in Santa Barbara was robbed just before midnight on December 30th, 2012. Forty minutes later, the AM/PM in Carpinteria was robbed by a suspect matching the same description. In both cases, the suspect was armed with a small caliber firearm and robbed the gas station attendee at gun point.

The suspect was identified as Yepez and a warrant was obtained for his arrest. Yepez was spotted in the Santa Maria area Thursday and was taken into custody during a traffic stop near the intersection of Donovan and Broadway at 1:16 pm. Yepez was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail and is charged with two counts of armed robbery.

The investigation is ongoing and no further details are being released at this time. Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to call the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office Detective Bureau at (805) 681-4150 or the anonymous tip line at (805) 671-4171

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