A surfer testified Nov. 1 that a man who stole his truck in Pacific Beach initially made a demand for $2,000 to get his truck back to him. The thief later agreed to accept $600 in cash from the victim, who later called police and arrested him for extortion.
Miguel Valverde, 23, was ordered to stand trial on five felony counts, including attempted extortion, attempting to make a criminal threat, auto theft and two counts of receiving stolen property. San Diego Superior Court Judge William Kennedy set a trial date for Dec. 13.
Ryan Guerrero, 19, testified at the preliminary hearing he went surfing in Pacific Beach on Oct. 4 and parked his truck on Pacific Beach Drive. He said he left the keys under some folding seats and the truck was gone when he returned.
Guerrero said another surfing buddy left his cell phone in the truck and he called the number. The apparent car thief answered and bargained with Guerrero to get his truck back to him. Initially, the thief wanted $1,000, then raised it to $2,000, but eventually went down to $600 during five phone calls and a text message.
“I had $600 together and I wanted my truck back,” said Guerrero, a college student.
The caller also phoned Guerrero and initially pretended to be a San Diego Police officer. When Guerrero told the caller he didn’t know what he was talking about, the caller then revealed he was the auto thief and was trying to see if he was being led into a trap. Guerrero said the location where to meet with the thief was changed to “an area I’m not familiar with.”
“Don’t do anything funny. We don’t want to get our hands dirty,” said the caller, according to Guerrero.
Detective Matthew Cole, a member of the Regional Auto Theft Task Force, testified he assumed the identity of Guerrero’s friend and spoke with Valverde several times. Cole testified the caller threatened to “handicap” his friends and family if he didn’t cooperate.
Just minutes before they were to meet, Cole testified the car thief threatened him again, saying he knew where the car owner lived because of where the truck was parked. “If you don’t get here in five minutes, I’m going to kill your (expletive) family,” the caller said, according to Cole.
Cole said he and Detective Anthony Graytok arrested Valverde at a service station in City Heights after Valverde made a hand motion to identify he was the caller. The truck was parked 75 yards away, and was given back to Guerrero.
Jim McMahon, Valverde’s attorney, argued unsuccessfully there was no extortion because “there was no money exchanged.” He also argued unsuccessfully that no one saw Valverde drive the stolen truck and he denied that any immediate threats were made.
Deputy District Attorney Michael MacNeil amended the charges to include attempted extortion and attempting to make a criminal threat. MacNeil said if Valverde is convicted, he faces up to four years in prison.
Valverde remains in county jail on $30,000 bail.