5 arrested after Tropics robbery

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Phil Stake
Staff writer

GAMERCO — Five men have been arrested in connection with a robbery at Tropics bar Dec. 31.

Randy Holyan, 21, Geno Antonio, 20, Easton Holyan, 17, Timothy Begay, 20, and Anthony Rios, 20, are charged with assaulting a Tropics bartender and stealing more than a dozen bottles of liquor around 8:30 p.m. New Years Eve, according to McKinley County Sheriff’s investigators. A sixth man, Lucas Stevens, 20, is awaiting charges, investigators said.

They said that the men had been celebrating the New Year at the residence of Rios, 808 Draco Ave. in Gamerco, when the liquor ran out. At that point Rios allegedly suggested that they should “jack the Tropics.” Everyone agreed, and while Rios assaulted the bartender, the other men stole armfuls of vodka, wine and malt liquor. They were gone by the time deputies arrived.

Soon a disturbance call involving six men came in from a nearby address. Deputies responded and found several of the men, as well as the stolen liquor. Some of the men had already run away. But later that night a skirmish between Rios and a highly-intoxicated Stevens caused infighting and finger-pointing, leading investigators to the remaining culprits. All five men are charged with robbery and assault with intent to commit a violent felony, both third-degree felonies; and conspiracy, a fourth-degree felony.

Anthony Rios also faces a related aggravated battery charge, a fourth-degree felony, which was filed Jan. 9. Investigators filed the additional charge for the skirmish that occurred later that night, which ended in Stevens suffering a broken jaw.