2 teens plead not guilty to violent purse-snatcher robbery in Hacienda Heights

POMONA, Calif. (KABC) -- Two 19-year-olds pleaded not guilty Monday in connection with an alleged crime spree involving a series of robberies and assaults in the San Gabriel Valley, including one in which a bystander recorded a woman being dragged in a parking lot while trying to hold on to her purse.

Cameron Deshawn Perry and Russell Hardy Jr., both 19, are charged with two counts each of first-degree automated teller machine robbery and second-degree robbery, along with one count of attempted second-degree robbery, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Perry is also charged with two counts of elder or dependent adult abuse, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Prosecutors allege the crimes occurred between May 30 and Aug. 14 in Rowland Heights, Industry and Hacienda Heights, with some targeting people in their 70s.

According to the District Attorney's Office, the alleged crime spree includes:

• Perry allegedly grabbing a purse containing $150,000 in jewelry from a woman leaving a jewelry store in Rowland Heights May 30, with a witness seeing Perry enter a blue sedan allegedly being driven by Hardy

• Perry allegedly stealing a woman's wallet as she returned to her vehicle June 9 after withdrawing money from an ATM in the city of Industry, with a witness observing a blue car speed away from the scene that was allegedly driven by Hardy

• Perry allegedly approaching a 73-year-old woman from behind in a Hacienda Heights parking lot and grabbing her purse before fleeing on June 14

• Perry allegedly approaching a man leaving a bank in Rowland Heights, hitting him on the head several times with a pistol, demanding the victim's wallet, firing a shot into the air, with a fight ensuing and Perry allegedly running away to a blue sedan allegedly driven by Hardy on July 2

• Perry allegedly walking up to a 75-year-old woman as she left an ATM in Hacienda Heights on Aug. 14, trying to steal her cross-body purse and a struggle ensuing in which Perry allegedly dragged the woman in a parking lot until she let go of the purse, and Hardy allegedly drove Perry from the scene.

The crime was recorded by a bystander's cell phone in a video that was posted online by former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva.

Hardy was arrested last Wednesday by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, while Perry was taken into custody Thursday, according to jail records, which show they have remained behind bars since then.

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