A Santa Rosa man suspected of robbing an armored car company last year attempted to strike again earlier this month with two accomplices when he was caught by police, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Monico Dominguez, 39, is charged with robbing Garda Armored Car Services in a late-night holdup Aug. 11, 2011, along with other masked suspects who carried assault guns and got away with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Dominguez allegedly recruited two other men to attempt a second heist planned for Aug. 6, prosecutors said in court documents. The three were arrested the next day in a series of raids.
Now, Dominguez and the two men -- Juan Dominguez, 26, and Shawn Geernaert, 33, both of Santa Rosa -- are in jail facing allegations carrying potential life sentences.
All three are expected to enter their pleas this morning in Sonoma County Superior Court.
Monico Dominguez is charged with seven felonies, including two counts of robbery and two counts of kidnapping for allegedly tying up Garda employees in the 2011 holdup on Northpoint Parkway in southwest Santa Rosa. The charges carry enhancements for use of personal body armor and thefts of more than $150,000.
He also is charged with soliciting others to commit a robbery this month as well as felony conspiracy and attempted kidnapping. His bail is $5 million.
The two others face charges of conspiracy and attempted kidnapping with firearms and body armor enhancements.
Juan Dominguez is being held on $2 million bail. Geernaert was freed after his Aug. 7 arrest but remanded into custody Monday when Judge Robert LaForge agreed to increase his bail from $10,000 to $1 million.
Police have been tight-lipped about developments. Santa Rosa Police Sgt. Steve Fraga would not discuss details Tuesday.
But charging documents made it clear there were two separate crimes, allegedly committed against the same company, about a year apart.
The suspects were apparently in the clear after the first heist at the Garda office. The suspects allegedly scrambled through a gate behind an entering armored car and forced employees to assist them.
But Monico Dominguez and the two others were stopped the second time around, according to charging documents.
It was unknown what role each is alleged to have played or how far they got in their attempt.
You can reach Staff Writer Paul Payne at 568-5312 or paul.payne@pressdemocrat.com.
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