A grand jury returned an indictment Friday against three men accused of going on a six-week crime spree in October and November of last year.
Miracle Tulimasealii, 24; Lonnie Reed, 23 and Siaosi Sila, 21 were indicted on dozens of counts following an Anchorage Police Department investigation of alleged robberies at multiple local businesses and homes, the Alaska Department of Law said in a statement.
In one of the alleged crimes, police responded to a robbery at a Hampton Inn, located at 4301 Credit Union Dr. in midtown on Nov. 30. A desk clerk told authorities that gun-wielding men busted through the front door. One of the men, who carried a black pistol, told her to open the cash drawer, charging documents say. Another man grabbed the clerk by the arm and brought her to an office, where he told her to remain still on the floor.
After not hearing any noise for about a minute, the clerk called 911. When officers arrived, they found bills missing from the cash drawer, according to the charges. While officers were investigating the Hampton Inn robbery, APD was called to another robbery at a Chevron at 220 W. Dimond Blvd. When officers arrived at the gas station, they found an employee locked in a back office and an ATM that appeared to have been shot at.
After further investigation, authorities learned a silver Chevrolet Impala may have been involved in the two robberies. They tracked down the car at a Motel 6 on A Street and obtained a search warrant for one of the rooms, charging documents say. When officers searched the room, they found clothing seen in photos of prior robberies. They also found a black bag that held a stolen handgun and a purse that had identification different from the three people in the room.
Officers spoke with a man who said he drove the Impala to the Motel 6 to visit Tulimasealii. He later admitted that he was at the two robberies but denied any involvement other than driving the indicted trio around.
Tulimasealii was indicted on 30 counts, Reed on 29 and Sila on 29. Some of the charges include robbery, assault, arson and tampering with evidence.