This information was provided by the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office.

The San Benito County Sheriff’s Office have arrested local resident Michael Huerta, 25, in connection to an armed robbery of the Tres Pinos Country Store that took place on Thursday April, 19. 

According to the report from the Sheriff's office, on Thursday at approximately 2:00 p.m. Huerta entered the Tres Pinos Country Store at located on  6851 Airline Highway.

"He confronted the lone female clerk and simulated a handgun.  The clerk believed she saw a handgun in his possession," the report said. "The male demanded money from the cash register and the clerk complied.  The male fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of cash.  The clerk was unharmed," the report said.

The report went on to say that Deputy Jason Leist responded and took the report for the robbery. He later obtained video surveillance footage from a nearby store, statements from persons in the area and was able to develop a suspect in the case. He also recalled a similar male he and Deputy Russel Brown had stopped a couple weeks prior. 

With BodyCam video footage of the prior stop Deputy Leist was able to take a still image and use it to secure a positive identification of Huerta as the person responsible for the robbery, the report said. 

On Friday, April 20, at approximately 4:00 p.m. Deputy Leist along with his shift-mates, Deputies Canez, Simpson and later Deputy Mingus, they were able to locate Huerta. He was taken into custody without incident and later confessed to the robbery. He was booked into the San Benito County Jail on the charge of robbery. 

Anyone with information on this case can contact the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office on their anonymous tip-line at (831) 636-4084.  Or,  TEXT-A-TIP to 888777 by typing TIP SBCSO followed by your message.