Suspect Is Held in Robbery Attempt

A 19-year-old suspected gang member was in custody Monday after briefly holding two high school swimmers from Oxnard hostage during a bungled robbery, Long Beach police said.

Four Oxnard teens from a Ventura County high school swim team and their coach were walking through the parking structure at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Long Beach about 9:15 p.m. Sunday night when they were approached by Jesse James Richardson, police spokeswoman Karen Kerr said.

Richardson allegedly stuck his hand in his pocket to simulate a gun and demanded money from the swimmers, Kerr said. When they replied that they needed to go to their room to get cash, Richardson let the coach and two teens go while holding the remaining swimmers hostage, Kerr said.

But as the coach left, hotel security guards spotted Richardson and approached him, Kerr said. The suspect panicked, dashed from the parking structure, and was caught by security and the coach in an adjoining alley, where they held him until police came.