Gardena men get prison for kidnapping people and forcing them to take money out of ATMs
Two Gardena men were sentenced to prison today for kidnapping people and forcing them to withdraw, or try to withdraw, money from various bank machines around the South Bay.
Alan Islas, 22, was sentenced in Torrance Superior Court to 26 years and four months in prison, while Anthony Valencia, 20, received 24 years and eight months behind bars. They both previously pleaded no contest to charges that arose from a series of crimes in the summer and fall of 2007.
Witnesses at a preliminary hearing in February described how one or two men, using a gun, carjacked them and drove them to various automated teller machines. During three heists, a total of $2,500 was withdrawn from the banks, according to prosecutors. Personal items were taken, too.
About the Blogger
Larry Altman has covered crime in the South Bay since 1990. He's seen it all - the missing model who turned up dead in the desert, the wives found dead in trunks, the high-school coaches who get a little too close to their players. He drives his young colleagues nuts with his "I remember when" stories. He welcomes your tips and observations about the present, and you can mix in a little Lakers basketball talk if you like.
E-mail Larry at larry.altman@dailybreeze.com.
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