OKANOGAN COUNTY, Wash. — The Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office and Omak Police Department worked together to arrest a man suspected of several armed robberies of businesses in Omak and Okanogan.
Police said on Tuesday that they charged 33-year-old Stephen Vasquez with four counts of first-degree robbery, four counts of first-degree kidnapping, and two counts of first-degree assault, among other charges. Members of both agencies worked together to create a profile of Vasquez, who was armed with a knife and dressed in the same clothing during all of the suspected robberies.
The sheriff’s office also booked 56-year-old Stephen Vasquez Sr. and 53-year-old Barbara Riley of Moses Lake for first-degree rendering criminal assistance.
The sheriff’s office and Omak police began working on this case on Oct. 24, 2021 when the Stampede mini-mart in Omak was robbed. On Nov. 4, the Jackpot in Omak was also robbed by someone who appeared to be the same suspect.
Chief Dan Christensen and Sheriff Tony Hawley held a joint planning meeting to coordinate efforts to capture Vasquez.
On the evening of Nov. 9, a surveillance team from Omak police and the North Central Washington Narcotics Task Force saw Vasquez at his residence. A search warrant was issued and Vasquez was taken into custody without trouble the joint teams and booked into the Okanogan County Jail.
