Police arrest 2 more suspects involved in botched Santa Rosa pot deal

Santa Rosa police said Wednesday two more suspects have been arrested in connection to a recent kidnapping, robbery and assault during a failed marijuana deal in the city last week.

An unidentified Roseville man who was brokering the pot sale that went awry escaped the armed suspects and was discovered by police at the Target store parking lot on Santa Rosa Avenue stripped to his underwear and yelling for help.

Three men and one woman are now in custody, believed to be would-be sellers in the botched cannabis sale on Nov. 25.

This week, Santa Rosa detectives went to Sacramento to arrest Alexander Ricardo Padron, 21, and Shane Riolo, 22, said Santa Rosa Police Sgt. Josh Ludtke. Last week, detectives arrested Seth Willden, 28, and Misty Lovecchio, 39, in Stockton.

The drug deal, at a Slater Street apartment complex, went sideways when the would-be buyers took off with 5 pounds of pot, leaving the would-be sellers without $5,000 in marijuana, Ludtke said.

The man brokering the deal was suspected of being in on the theft. At least three of the would-be sellers then took him to a southern Santa Rosa apartment complex on Taylor View Drive. There, two of the men pointed guns at him, ordered him to disrobe and get into the trunk of a car, Ludtke said.

The man feared for his life, so when his captors looked away he ran. The man jumped into a slow-moving car and asked the occupants to take him to a public place. They dropped him at the nearby Target parking lot where he began yelling for someone to call police.

Detectives suspect Willden and Riolo had the guns and ordered the Roseville man to strip and get into the car trunk. Lovecchio was the suspected driver and she, Padron and Willden were suspected of participating in the victim’s kidnapping by taking him from Slater Street to Taylor View Drive, the sergeant said. Riolo had driven in a separate car.

Willden and Lovecchio have been transferred from San Joaquin County Jail to Sonoma County Jail. Willden’s bail is ?$1.9 million and he faces 10 felony counts and six enhancements involving using a gun during a felony. Lovecchio’s bail is ?$1.2 million and she faces 16 felony charges. Both were expected to be in court Wednesday.

Padron and Riolo are being held in the Sacramento County Jail awaiting extradition to Sonoma County. Riolo’s bail is $500,000. Padron was expected to be extradited ahead of Riolo.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 707-521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com.