Police have arrested a Ceres Cardinals youth football team coach for his role in the Oct. 22 robbery of Rico's Pizza during a lengthy party and are looking to arrest the second suspect.
Daniel McGill, 28, was arrested Tuesday, Oct. 30 and booked on charges of robbery, harboring a criminal and resisting arrest. Ceres police have issued an arrest warrant for Jessie Vasquez, 28, of Modesto. They say Vasquez is the man who slugged a clerk at the pizza parlor and assisted in the robbery.
McGill denied having anything to do with the crime, despite claims of others who said it was him and surveillance video showing his face.
Ceres detectives say that Rico's Pizza was robbed on Monday, Oct. 22 by two men during a gathering of the Cardinals but noted that the leaders of that group initially did not cooperate in the quest to identify them. Police say the McGill and Vasquez were attending the banquet at the Hatch Road pizza parlor leading up to the attack. Detective Tonya Smith said once the story aired on Channel 3 and was published on Facebook and in the Bee, tips began pouring in. Police then identified McGill as well as Vasquez, a parent of a player, as the suspects.
The Cardinals party attracted about 60 people, including board directors, coaches, parents and players between the ages of six to 13 years of age. Anthony Estrada, president of the Ceres Cardinals football junior novice and junior varsity teams, hosted the banquet.
Surveillance cameras recorded the gathering, showing the two suspects eating, drinking beer from pitchers and socializing with the attendees. Detectives say the two appeared to be known by Cardinals officials.
About five or six adults and seven to eight children remained at nearly midnight when the assault and robbery took place, said Detective Smith. She said a clerk was being intimated by the men. One of the men - believed to be McGill - insisted that he did not get his change from a purchase yet the surveillance video shows the clerk handing back change, said Smith.
At around 11:55 p.m., McGill is seen walking up to the parlor clerk - who removed the cash drawer to count the money - and starting a verbal confrontation. Police say Vasquez is seen walking around the counter to have a conversation with the clerk and then suddenly throwing punches at the clerk. The suspect struck the victim several times, knocking him to the ground. McGill allegedly then walked over to the cash register, threw it on the ground, and took the money from it and placing it in a jar for tips.
McGill claimed he heard the commotion of the disturbance and left with his family.
Surveillance video captured images of parents, children, and other attendees rushing out the front door of the parlor. Both suspects met at the front door after the robbery and are seen exiting the front door together.
Detectives said youth organization leaders and coaches present during the robbery were uncooperative. Estrada denied stonewalling in the investigation, saying he left before the crime and had no idea who the suspects were. However, Trans Valley Youth Football League president John Nixon suspended Estrada as well assistant vice president Jesus Montes and McGill.
Smith said Vasquez was wearing the #20 football jersey as shown in the surveillance video.
The whole incident has given the Cardinals organization a black eye, much to the chagrin of parents like Angela Huerta. She said she is happy an arrest has been made but criticized Ceres police for showing up at the playoff game in LeGrande to arrest the second suspect who was not at the game.
"We felt humiliated and degraded," said Huerta. "It took the focus of the players off the game."
Anyone with information on Vasquez's whereabouts is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 521-4636.
Daniel McGill, 28, was arrested Tuesday, Oct. 30 and booked on charges of robbery, harboring a criminal and resisting arrest. Ceres police have issued an arrest warrant for Jessie Vasquez, 28, of Modesto. They say Vasquez is the man who slugged a clerk at the pizza parlor and assisted in the robbery.
McGill denied having anything to do with the crime, despite claims of others who said it was him and surveillance video showing his face.
Ceres detectives say that Rico's Pizza was robbed on Monday, Oct. 22 by two men during a gathering of the Cardinals but noted that the leaders of that group initially did not cooperate in the quest to identify them. Police say the McGill and Vasquez were attending the banquet at the Hatch Road pizza parlor leading up to the attack. Detective Tonya Smith said once the story aired on Channel 3 and was published on Facebook and in the Bee, tips began pouring in. Police then identified McGill as well as Vasquez, a parent of a player, as the suspects.
The Cardinals party attracted about 60 people, including board directors, coaches, parents and players between the ages of six to 13 years of age. Anthony Estrada, president of the Ceres Cardinals football junior novice and junior varsity teams, hosted the banquet.
Surveillance cameras recorded the gathering, showing the two suspects eating, drinking beer from pitchers and socializing with the attendees. Detectives say the two appeared to be known by Cardinals officials.
About five or six adults and seven to eight children remained at nearly midnight when the assault and robbery took place, said Detective Smith. She said a clerk was being intimated by the men. One of the men - believed to be McGill - insisted that he did not get his change from a purchase yet the surveillance video shows the clerk handing back change, said Smith.
At around 11:55 p.m., McGill is seen walking up to the parlor clerk - who removed the cash drawer to count the money - and starting a verbal confrontation. Police say Vasquez is seen walking around the counter to have a conversation with the clerk and then suddenly throwing punches at the clerk. The suspect struck the victim several times, knocking him to the ground. McGill allegedly then walked over to the cash register, threw it on the ground, and took the money from it and placing it in a jar for tips.
McGill claimed he heard the commotion of the disturbance and left with his family.
Surveillance video captured images of parents, children, and other attendees rushing out the front door of the parlor. Both suspects met at the front door after the robbery and are seen exiting the front door together.
Detectives said youth organization leaders and coaches present during the robbery were uncooperative. Estrada denied stonewalling in the investigation, saying he left before the crime and had no idea who the suspects were. However, Trans Valley Youth Football League president John Nixon suspended Estrada as well assistant vice president Jesus Montes and McGill.
Smith said Vasquez was wearing the #20 football jersey as shown in the surveillance video.
The whole incident has given the Cardinals organization a black eye, much to the chagrin of parents like Angela Huerta. She said she is happy an arrest has been made but criticized Ceres police for showing up at the playoff game in LeGrande to arrest the second suspect who was not at the game.
"We felt humiliated and degraded," said Huerta. "It took the focus of the players off the game."
Anyone with information on Vasquez's whereabouts is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 521-4636.
