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Tip on car leads to arrests
By JAMIE JONES, Times Staff Writer
A 31-year-old Tampa man who robbed a SunTrust Bank in New Port Richey on Wednesday was arrested by Hillsborough County deputies on Thursday, according to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office. Anthony Gabriel Valdez of Tampa was held without bail at the Orient Road Jail on Friday. He had been wanted by Hillsborough County deputies, who booked him on nine charges, including armed robbery and false imprisonment. In Pasco, Valdez will face charges of armed robbery, bank robbery and aggravated assault, sheriff's spokesman Jon Powers said. Valdez's accomplice, Michael Anthony Wiley, 21, was also in jail Friday after being arrested at a Land O'Lakes motel on armed robbery charges, Powers said. Detectives suspect Wiley, of Arizona, drove Valdez to the bank. He was held in lieu of $50,000 bail at the Land O'Lakes jail. Pasco detectives said the men arrived at the SunTrust Bank on Rowan Road about 3 p.m. Wednesday. Valdez walked into the bank, pulled a small silver gun from his waistband and ordered a teller to give him money, detectives said. Valdez ran outside, and Wiley drove away, detectives said. On Wednesday night, detectives received a tip that the getaway car was parked outside the Drexel Court Motel in Land O'Lakes. There, they found Wiley. He told detectives he had driven Valdez to the bank to cash a check. Wiley said Valdez returned to the car and said he had robbed the bank at gunpoint. Wiley told detectives he drove Valdez to Tampa. Later, he admitted to detectives that he had received $500 of the stolen money for driving Valdez, Powers said. Hillsborough County detectives had obtained a warrant for Valdez's arrest more than a week ago. Detectives said they believe Valdez broke into an 82-year-old man's house on March 9, held the man at gunpoint and robbed him. Hillsborough detectives have charged Valdez with five counts of robbery with a firearm, false imprisonment, robbery home invasion, grand theft firearm and grand theft motor vehicle. -- Jamie Jones covers crime in west Pasco and can be reached at (727) 869-6245. Her e-mail address is jjones@sptimes.com.
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