Fifth suspect arrested in west Modesto robberies, assaults
A fifth suspect connected to two violent west Modesto robberies over the holidays turned himself in to police on Sunday.
Nathan Un, 18, of Stockton was arrested on suspicion of robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and conspiracy in connection with the first robbery on Dec. 26.
Multiple suspects, all armed with handguns, assaulted two men in the area of Maze Boulevard and Martin Luther King Drive, according to police. The suspects took cash and backpacks from the victims and beat one of them so severely that he was hospitalized with major injuries, police said. The victim was struck with a beer bottle, according to the criminal complaint.
Modesto Police Department spokeswoman Sharon Bear said Un was identified after four of his alleged co-conspirators were arrested following the second robbery.
Soben Nun, 22, of Modesto; Matthew Phommasinh, 22, of Stockton; as well as 15 and 17-year-old boys from Stockton are believed to have been involved in the assault and robbery on Dec. 26, as well as another early Thursday morning at the AM/PM gas station on Fifth Street.
In the second incident, the suspects can be seen on surveillance video released by police interacting with a man sitting in the front seat of a vehicle in a parking stall. Suddenly, one of the suspects runs up to the man and punches him in the face.
The man appears to be unconscious as a few of the suspects pull him out of the car and onto the ground, where they take items out of his pockets before fleeing in a Jeep Grand Cherokee with an Oregon license plate.
The victim was hospitalized with major injuries. Bear said Monday that both victims have since been released from the hospital.
Detectives with the department’s Violent Crimes Unit, Street Gang Unit and Major Crimes Unit began investigating after the second incident Thursday. Within hours of the second assault and robbery, they located a Jeep matching the description of the one used at the AM/PM, less than a mile away, parked at a home on Linden Street.
A search warrant was served at the home, where the original four suspects were arrested.
Anyone with any information related to these incidents is encouraged to contact Detective Darien Wilson at 209-342-9130.
Witnesses may also contact Crime Stoppers at 209-521-4636. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward. Tipsters may also text information to Crime Stoppers at 274637. Just type “TIP704” along with your message.
This story was originally published January 6, 2020 at 3:06 PM.
