Man arrested in 2009 Gonzales jewelry holdup

Miguel Angel Covarrubias

GONZALES — Ascension Parish deputies arrested a Mexican national living in the Gonzales area, one of three fugitives wanted in a $20,000 jewelry armed robbery committed in 2009, the parish Sheriff’s Office reported Tuesday.

Miguel Angel Covarrubias, 25, 8370 S. St. Landry Road, Lot No. 1, Gonzales, remained in Ascension Parish Prison Tuesday after his arrest July 3 on single counts of armed robbery, armed robbery with a firearm and three counts of false imprisonment with an offender armed with a firearm, deputies said in a news release.

His bail was set at $130,000.

Deputies learned July 3 that Covarrubias had returned to Ascension Parish from Mexico, then surrounded his home to arrest him, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies previously obtained a “John Doe” warrant on the man later determined to be Covarrubias. He was known three years ago only as the “Miguel” who frequented the vacant rental house on Oak Harbor Road where the robbery occurred on June 16, 2009, deputies said.

The robbery victim told deputies at the time that she sold jewelry from her home and was drawn to the house on Oak Harbor by a woman named “Jasmine” under the guise of showing jewelry for a possible sale, deputies said.

Deputies believe Covarrubias held the jewelry vendor and her two children at gunpoint once they were inside the house off La. 42, deputies said.

The victim and her children, then 4 and 7, were told to stay inside for a period of time or they would be killed, deputies said.

Covarrubias, “Jasmine” and a second Hispanic man left with the victim’s cell phone and jewelry.

Covarrubias confessed to the robbery after his capture, deputies said.

He is not a U.S. citizen and will be deported to Mexico pending the outcome of the criminal prosecution facing him, deputies said.

Investigators were attempting to identify the second man and “Jasmine,” deputies said. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office at [phone] or Crime Stoppers at [phone].