On Friday, October 21st, 2022, at 7:30 pm, the Turlock Police Department was dispatched to a reported armed robbery that had just occurred at Days Inn, 185 N Tully Rd, Turlock.

Officers arrived on scene and met with the two victims who told them that four individuals had approached them and two of them had robbed them by holding them at gunpoint, punching them, and taking cash. All four then fled the area together in a white Ford van.

Officers checked the area for the van, however, were unable to locate it.

Later that night, at about 11:21 pm, the van returned to the location and was spotted by the victims who called police again.

Officers arrived in the area and located the van at a Circle K, 1600 W Main St. Officers conducted a high risk stop on the van where they removed its four occupants at gunpoint and detained them in handcuffs for further investigation.

Amongst the four detained were Lee Carpenter, 24, of Turlock, and Charles Corona, 42, of Louisiana. The two others that were detained were juveniles, however, officers did not figure that out until later because they gave fake names and said they were 19-year old twins.

When officers had their dispatcher run everyone, Corona returned with a $5,000 misdemeanor warrant for fishing by a person 16 years of age or older without a license for any purpose other than profit.

A search of the van was conducted which led to the discovery of two handguns and a fake, but realistic looking double-barreled shotgun.

The victim was brought to the stop and he identified the two juveniles as the robbers.

Further investigation into the van led to the discovery that it was an unreported stolen. The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office assisted by taking an auto theft report.

In the end, all four were arrested and booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center. Charles on charges of carrying a concealed firearm, carrying a loaded firearm, and auto theft, Corona on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, carrying a concealed firearm, and carrying a loaded firearm, as well as his warrant, and both juveniles on charges of robbery, carrying a loaded firearm, carrying a concealed firearm, and battery.

After the two juveniles were booked as adults is when officers learned of their true identities and that they were juvenile runaways from out of state.