SANTA MARIA, Calif. -- The suspect wanted for robbing two gas stations and causing two Santa Maria schools to go on lockdown on Thursday has been caught.
23-year-old Federico Yepez from Santa Maria was taken into custody by Sheriff's detectives and Santa Maria Police.
Yepez is accused of robbing the Turnpike Shell Gas Station in Santa Barbara just before midnight on December 30th, 2012.
Within the same hour, the suspect is accused of robbing the AM/PM in Carpenteria.
In both robberies, the suspect was armed with a small caliber gun and robbed the cashier at gun point.
Yepez was spotted in the Santa Maria area Thursday afternoon and was taken into custody during a traffic stop on the corner of Donovan and Broadway.
Yepez was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail and is charged with two counts of armed robbery.
Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to call the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office Detective Bureau at (805) 681-4150 or the anonymous tip line at (805) 671-4171
