Salinas man at center of viral video arrested once again after taco truck robbery

The man at the center of a 2015 controversial video is back in trouble.

Officers say they responded to an armed robbery that happened at a taco truck parked on the corner of Sun Street and Commission Street in Salinas on Saturday just after 4:30 p.m.

Two suspects later identified as 33-year-old Raymond Cardenas, and 30-year-old Jose Velasco, approached the taco truck. Police say Cardenas stayed outside while Velasco got inside the truck with a handgun.

According to Officers, Velasco pointed the gun at the victim, demanded money and hit the victim on the back of the head with the gun.

Both suspects fled the area with an undetermined amount of money.

Police said they were then picked up in a car driven by 24-year-old Virginia Espinoza.

Three hours later a police officer spotted the suspect’s car on North Main Street and Navajo Drive. That’s when Cardenas and Espinoza were arrested and booked into the Monterey County Jail. Velasco was not in the car.

On Sunday night Salinas Police and the Violence Suppression Unit Officers spotted Velasco driving on North Main Street near Navajo Drive. That’s when officers tried to make a traffic stop on Velasco but he pulled into a parking lot and fled across North Main Street near Alvin Drive.

Officers said Velasco tossed what turned out to be a stolen firearm and was arrested a short distance later.

Velasco, Cardenas and Espinoza were all booked into Monterey County jail for armed robbery, false imprisonment, felon in possession of a firearm, assault with a deadly weapon and conspiracy.

Velasco’s bail was set for $750,000.

In 2015, video of Velasco’s arrest went viral after an officer was seen subduing him with a baton.

Cell phone video from witnesses captured the event, which later went viral. That video prompted an internal investigation by Salinas Police into those officers’ use of force.