Two sentenced for robbing jeweler after following him from Chicago to Riverside

Two men have been sentenced to decades in prison after being convicted of robbing a 70-year-old west suburban man of $30,000 worth of jewelry as he returned from a Swap-O-Rama in Chicago last year.

Saul Sandoval, 20; and Juan Ramos, 22, were both found guilty of armed robbery on March 20, according to a statement from Riverside police.

Prosecturos said they followed a jeweler from the Swap-O-Rama in Chicago to a home in the 100 block of East Burlington in Riverside about 5:30 p.m., police said after the arrest in August.

The elderly man was beaten up, pushed to the ground and had his shirt pulled over his face so he couldn’t see the robbers, who were masked and armed with a handgun, police said.

When the victim’s friend, a 76-year-old woman, came out to intervene, one of the robbers pointed the gun at her and said, “Stay out of this b—-,” police said. The man was robbed of $30,000 worth of jewelry.

The suspects then ran to a car left in a parking lot at Burlington Street and Cowley Road, police said.

Police obtained surveillance video of the victim’s car being followed out of the parking lot by the robbers’ car, and arrested Sandoval and Ramos, according to police. Both were identified in a lineup.

According to police, both Sandoval, of Chicago, and Ramos, of Cicero, are admitted gang members with criminal histories. They are allegedly part of a crew that would stake out the Swap-O-Rama, follow jewelers home and rob them.

The victims read statements at the men’s sentencing Monday, and family members of the defendants and representatives from Ceasefire Chicago also testified, police said. Neither man admitted guilt, but Ramos made a statement thanking the court.

Judge Gregory Ginex sentenced Ramos to 29 years in prison and Sandoval to 23 years Monday, according to the statement. Both defendants’ attorneys filed immediate appeals.

Police said Sandoval still has an outstanding robbery case pending from a Chicago arrest, which happened while he was out on bond. Ramos, who has a criminal history including weapons, robbery and assault charges, will be deported once he completes his sentence, according to police.

Saul Sandoval | Riverside police