Las Vegas teen accused of robbery spree targeting convenience stores faces 32 charges
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A teen is facing 32 charges in an alleged robbery spree that targeted convenience stores in the Las Vegas valley. Jassiel Banuelos, 17, will face those charges in the adult court system.
The first alleged crime occurred on Jan. 7, 2024, at a convenience store on E. Pecos Road near Carey Avenue. According to the arrest report, Banuelos pointed a gun at the female cashier and demanded money from the cash register but the cashier froze in fear and started to pray. Police said he did steal $600 from a customer who was gambling.
The cashier told police she recognized Banuelos because he visited the store earlier that day with another teen. The victim told police she refused to sell him tobacco products and he made a comment about the red bandana on her head saying it could get her “into trouble” and possibly “beaten or shot,” documents said.
Investigators reviewed the surveillance video and noticed the suspect used his left hand to hold the gun and had a tattoo on that same hand.
Las Vegas Metropolitan police were later able to link Banuelos to a spree of convenience robberies that occurred in northwest Las Vegas on the night of Jan. 16 into the morning of Jan. 17, police documents said.
In each of those cases, the report said witness statements and surveillance video showed Banuelos either stole cash register money at gunpoint or snack items from all three convenience stores. In two cases, money was taken from customers, as well, documents stated. In all three cases, the suspects were in a KIA Soul which police learned was stolen.
According to the report, police were notified the KIA Soul was in the parking lot of a shopping plaza. Plainclothes officers saw a group of juveniles leaving the area and one of them — matching the description of the robbery suspect — tossed a firearm under a car and ran. Banuelos was taken into custody and during a police interview, documents said he went on to give a full confession and admitted to being involved in all the robberies.
Banuelos’s charges include robbery with a deadly weapon, attempted robbery, burglary while in possession of a firearm, assault with the use of a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm by a child under 18, and possession of a stolen vehicle.
He is scheduled to appear in court on April 10. He remains in custody.
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