Watch CBS News

Suspects arrested for allegedly robbing a Secret Service agent at gunpoint during Biden trip

Arrests made in armed robbery of Secret Service agent
Arrests made in armed robbery of Secret Service agent 00:27

Police in Orange County arrested three suspects who allegedly robbed a Secret Service agent at gunpoint during President Joe Biden's trip to Southern California last month. 

The alleged armed robbery happened a little after 9:35 p.m. on June 15 as the agent drove through the Tustin Fields neighborhood following a work assignment, according to the Tustin Police Department. A source from CBS News said the officer worked in a support capacity during Biden's California trip. He was off-duty during the robbery and was not part of the President's protective detail. 

The Secret Service member fired his weapon during the incident, striking one of the suspects, 38-year-old Bertran Claude Bell.

Bell eventually drove to Los Angeles to get treatment for his gunshot wounds. Detectives arrested two more men: E'shon Dwayne Dodson, 21, and Jamonte Fitzgerald Johnson, 32.

The Orange County District Attorney's Office charged the three men with various felony counts related to the robbery. Prosecutors added felony enhancements to Johnson and Dodson's cases. 

Johnson had been convicted of two burglary charges in the past. He was on federal probation for weapons violations and on parole for criminal threats. He faces a maximum sentence of 36 years to life in state prison. He's currently being held without bail.

Bell also has a previous conviction for a 2004 attempted robbery in LA. He and Doson are being held on a $1 million bail.

We will hold these armed robbers accountable to the fullest extent of the law. No one, regardless of whether you are a Secret Service agent or an everyday resident, should have to worry about being robbed at gunpoint in the middle of a neighborhood," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said.

Tustin investigators tracked the men down by using DNA left on the agent's stolen items, which were thrown away during the trio's escape. 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.