Plea deal offered in Ceres pizzeria robbery

Prosecutors have offered a plea deal with a 120-day jail sentence to a youth football coach accused of robbing a Ceres pizza parlor last month. The second arrested suspect, a parent of one of the football players, is scheduled to make his first court appearance next month.

Co-defendants Daniel McGill, 28, and Jessie Vasquez, 28, have been charged with robbery and released from jail custody on $50,000 bail each. Detectives say the defendants accosted an employee at Rico's Pizza shortly before McGill stole money from the cash register Oct. 22.

McGill, who was the first suspect arrested in this case, appeared for a pretrial hearing Tuesday morning. A judge last week scheduled a preliminary hearing later this week, but the judge canceled the hearing after McGill agreed to waive his right to a speedy preliminary.

Graylin Bryant, McGill's defense attorney, informed the judge that the Stanislaus County district attorney's office offered a plea deal that would result in a conviction of harboring a fugitive suspected in a felony and obstructing police. Bryant said the plea deal offer remains on the table, but the defendant has not accepted.

Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Ricardo Córdova scheduled McGill to return to court Dec. 14 for another hearing.

Vasquez has been scheduled to appear in court Dec. 7 for his arraignment. An arrest warrant for him was issued Nov. 5 and Vasquez turned himself in late the next night at the Stanislaus County Jail. He was released on bail at 3:30 a.m. Nov. 7, according to custody records.

Throughout Wednesday and Thursday, Ceres police said investigators still were searching for Vasquez, despite the fact he had been booked, jailed and made bail. A news release late Thursday afternoon clarified his status.

Investigators have released security camera photos of two suspects at the restaurant during the robbery.

The Ceres Cardinals Football junior novice and junior varsity teams were at Rico's on Hatch Road for a banquet, which was attended by about 60 people and went on for several hours.

Police have said McGill was the man seen in security camera footage shortly before midnight arguing with the pizza parlor employee at the cash register.

Shortly after that confrontation, a second man walked behind the counter and punched the employee several times, knocking him to the ground. Police say that man was Vasquez.

McGill then picked up the cash register, threw it to the ground and took money from it, police said.

The security camera captured parents, children and other banquet attendees rushing out the front door. Police said the suspects met at the front door after the robbery and are seen leaving together.

Bee staff writer Rosalio Ahumada can be reached at rahumada@modbee.com or (209) 578-2394.