Four Suspected Gang Members Arrested for Gas Station Robbery in Fillmore
– By F. Scott Faulkner
FILLMORE, CA — August 24, 2025 – After more than two months of diligent law enforcement investigation, a late-night gas station
robbery has ended with four arrests involving multiple gang-related charges.
Just after midnight on June 8, 2025, deputies from the Fillmore Police Station were called to a
Chevron gas station following a reported theft. According to Ventura County Sheriff’s
Department spokesman Sgt. Jarrod Foote, a store clerk told arriving deputies that “several
suspects had entered the store and attempted to steal merchandise.”
When confronted, the suspects reportedly used force and “threatened the clerk before fleeing in a white sedan.”
In the hours following the incident, Fillmore patrol deputies identified the suspects as Daniel
Cortez, 20, of El Rio; Angel Flores, 19, of El Rio; David Merino, 18, of Camarillo; and Janae
Lopez, 33, of Oxnard. Investigators also noted that all four have “ties to a criminal street gang.”
Over the following two months, Fillmore detectives worked alongside VCSD Headquarters
Patrol and the Ventura County Probation Agency to ultimately track down all four suspects.
On August 7th, Merino was arrested and booked on suspicion of robbery, conspiracy to commit a
crime, and street terrorism. He remains in custody on a no-bail hold.
Flores was taken into custody on August 14 and was formally charged with conspiracy and
gang enhancements. He has subsequently been released on bail.
Cortez and Lopez were arrested together on August 18 and booked into Ventura County Jail on
charges of robbery, conspiracy to commit a crime, and street terrorism. Both men posted bail
pursuant to “further court proceedings.”
