Charles Steve Ortez, 64, who allegedly stole Twinkies and other items from a Twin Peaks Market at gunpoint, returns to court on Wednesday, January 14. (File Photo)
By G. T. Houts
San Bernardino, CA – Charles Steve Ortez, Jr. — the so-called Twinkies Bandit — returns to San Bernardino County Superior Court for a disposition/reset hearing at 8:30 a.m. in Department S-9, on Wednesday, January 14. Ortez, now 64, is accused of robbing a Twin Peaks convenience store at gunpoint of Twinkies and other items.
Mountain High Market in Twin Peaks. (Photo by ROTWNEWS.com)
On Wednesday, December 10, Judge Elia V. Pirozza continued the case against Ortez — at the request of interim defense counsel Samra Roth after hearing full-time counsel Derrick Smith was working on a possible resolution to the case.
Ortez remains in custody at the Central Detention Center in San Bernardino on $500,000 bail. He has entered a not guilty plea to all charges.
THE TWINKIES CASE
Ortez, Jr. is charged with allegedly robbing Mountain High Market in Twin Peaks on Monday, October 1, 2012, of Twinkies, milk, Coke, whiskey and cash.
The armed robbery, utilizing a Taurus .38-caliber revolver, took place about three minutes before the market was scheduled to close for the night, according to a media release issued by the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Station.
The robber was carrying a black duffel bag and he utilized it to carry the items taken after he ordered the female cashier to lie on the floor while he added money from the register.
The gun believed used in the robbery was recovered when Ortez was arrested at 9:30 a.m. on October 31, 2012. (76)