Craigslist Armed Robbery Suspect Faces 20 Years

Bay City News Service

A San Francisco man who allegedly arranged a phony Craigslist sale in Daly City then robbed the would-be buyer at gunpoint faces more than 20 years in prison if convicted, San Mateo County's district attorney said.

Rommel Narvaez, 19, pleaded not guilty Monday afternoon in San Mateo County Superior Court to two counts of robbery and two counts of assault with a firearm -- crimes that carry a hefty sentence under California's 10-20-Life Law, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.

"He is charged with two counts of robbery and two assaults with a gun. He faces up to 22 years in prison on those charges, and that doesn't count if he had any priors," Wagstaffe said.

The 10-20-Life Law, also known by the catch phrase "Use a Gun and You're Done" law, was enacted in 1997 with the intent of maximizing prison sentences for those who use firearms to carry out certain violent crimes.

Police say Narvaez responded to a Craigslist ad offering money in exchange for iPhones, luring his victim to Lincoln Park on Brunswick Street at Templeton Avenue on April 8. At the park, he robbed the victim of money he brought to purchase the phone, Daly City police Sgt. Michael Barton said. The victim was not injured in the robbery.

Through "good, old-fashioned police work," Barton said, detectives were able to identify Narvaez as a suspect and arrest him on Friday.

"This was a good investigation by our detectives -- they used solid investigative steps to identify their suspect and it led to an arrest," Barton said.

Narvaez remains in custody on $150,000 bail. He is scheduled to return to San Mateo County Superior Court in South San Francisco for a preliminary hearing on April 26 at 9 a.m.

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