CHARLES STEVE ORTEZ
On the same day Twinkies “make the sweetest comeback in the history of ever — July 15 — the so-called Twinkies bandit, Charles Steve Ortez, is scheduled to return to court for a pre-preliminary hearing. (Photo by Hostess Twinkies)
By Michael P. Neufeld
San Bernardino, CA – The so-called Twinkies bandit — Charles Steve Ortez. Jr. — returns to court Monday, July 15, the same day Hostess Twinkies are scheduled to return to store shelves. A pre-preliminary hearing is scheduled is set to begin at 8:30 a.m. in Department S-21.
Ortez, Jr., 62, is charged with allegedly robbing Mountain High Market in Twin Peaks on Monday, October 1, 2012, of Twinkies, milk, Coke, whiskey and cash. The armed robbery, utilizing a Taurus .38-caliber revolver, took place just minutes before the market was scheduled to close for the night, according to documents released by the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Station.
MOST RECENT COURT APPEARANCE
During his most recent court appearance on June 7, Judge Kenneth Barr granted a defense verbal motion by attorney Scott Roberts to re-set the pre-preliminary hearing date to the July 15 date.
Ortez — who has entered a plea of not guilty to all charges — remains in custody at the Central Detention Center in San Bernardino, with bail set at $500,000.
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