Fort Hall man charged after police connect him to robbery, theft
Published at
POCATELLO — A man police say stole a woman’s bank card and made several purchases was arrested after he allegedly robbed another woman.
Dillon Hawk Cerino, 35, is facing felony charges of robbery, grand theft and two counts of criminal possession of a stolen credit card, court records show.
June 20
Pocatello police received information from a woman claiming her bank card had been stolen and used. According to an affidavit of probable cause, she believed Cerino was the person who took the card.
Officers reviewed transaction information and determined that the card was used to make more several fraudulent purchases, amounting to more than $730.
Among the transactions made using the stolen card were four purchases at several area businesses. Officers retrieved surveillance footage and positively identified Cerino as the person in the video, the affidavit says.
Officers also found that two separate ATM withdrawals were made while Cerino was believed to be in possession of the stolen card. While detectives continue to investigate those purchases and determine Cerino’s involvement, they have turned over evidence of the first four transactions to the Bannock County Prosecutor’s Office requesting charges related to those transactions.
Aug. 18
Pocatello police responded to reports of a verbal disturbance on Park Avenue around 10 a.m. on Aug. 18, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
Upon arrival, officers spoke with a woman who told them that after drinking the night before, she chose to sleep in her truck. When she woke up, she saw a man, later identified as Cerino, in an alleyway staring at her.
The victim told police that Cerino came to the truck, reached through the opened passenger window and grabbed her purse. She said she grabbed her purse and tried to fight Cerino off, but was overpowered.
Cerino, she said, went through the purse and grabbing items. She screamed and got the attention of witnesses, the affidavit says.
The victim said Cerino took a Sky Device tablet out of the purse, put it in his pocket and left on his bicycle.
Officers eventually found Cerino the following morning and arrested him. He was taken to Bannock County Jail, where he was booked and is being held on a $20,000 bond.
Though Cerino has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.
If he is found guilty, Cerino could face up to life in prison.
He is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing before Magistrate Judge David Penrod on Sept. 19.