4 charged in Edmonton home invasion, drive-by shooting
Posted August 15, 2024 3:02 pm.
Edmonton police say two men and two women are facing 32 charges following a home invasion and drive-by shooting earlier this year.
EPS says on Feb. 24, officers stopped a red Mercedes that had been speeding near Fort Road and 137 Avenue.
It is believed that same Mercedes had fled the scene of a home invasion prior to being caught speeding, according to police.
After the vehicle was stopped, police took two of four occupants — 30-year-old Brayan Montilla Villota and 22-year-old Kevin Valera Valest — into custody, and found 9 mm ammunition casing on the pair.
Police say officers later responded to a drive-by shooting after a bullet hole was found in a home near 45 Street and 149 Avenue.
Security video from the area was able to confirm that the same red Mercedes police had stopped was the vehicle involved.
Officers were also able to find a 9 mm casing at the scene.
Through an investigation, police executed search warrants on the Mercedes and found a Glock 9 mm with a defaced serial number.
That reportedly led to a further investigation, where it was learned that the gun had been smuggled into Canada from the United States.
On March 30, EPS responded to a report of a man waving a gun around while driving in the Allard neighbourhood.
Police were able to take the man into custody, and he was identified as Villota. Police say he had been released on bail shortly after the incident in February.
Searching the vehicle Villota was driving — a red Mercedes — police found and seized another Glock handgun, that was loaded, and also had a defaced serial number.
Police were later able to determine the gun had also been smuggled into Canada from the United States.
On Aug. 7, in a firearms investigation, police executed search warrants at two homes and three vehicles in Edmonton and Calgary.
From the searches, police found and seized $6,500 in cash, roughly 55 grams of cocaine, 7 grams of fentanyl, as well as electronics and ammunition.
From the searches, home invasion, and weapons incidents, police have charged Villota, Valest, 25-year-old Ana Gomez Jimenez, and 22-year-old Tatiana Calderon with a combined 32 guns and drug-related charges.
