Suspect in 100 Burglaries Is Arrested in Mexico

A prison escapee, suspected in more than 100 burglaries in the Rancho Bernardo and Rancho Penasquitos areas, was captured in Guadalajara, Mexico, authorities said Friday.

Sergio Gomez, who escaped from a medium-security California prison in 1982, was captured Jan. 13 by members of a special task force of the State Judicial Police in Guadalajara, said Bill Robinson, San Diego Police Department spokesman.

Gomez was suspected of 29 burglaries in Jalisco, Mexico, said Hector Cordova Bermudez, director of the State Judicial Police in Jalisco. Ten agents surrounded Gomez’s apartment, he said. Inside the apartment were cash and jewelry believed to have been taken during the burglaries.

Bermudez said Gomez is also a suspect in a Nov. 5, 1988, slaying in Tijuana.

Gomez, who also went by the name of Sergio Sanchez, is suspected in a string of burglaries in North County that netted tens of thousands of dollars in jewelry, precious coins and silver. The burglaries were committed between January-October, 1989. Gomez is also wanted by the FBI in connection with a bank robbery at California First Bank’s San Marcos branch on Sept. 12, 1986, Robinson said.

When he escaped from the Sierra Conservation Center in December, 1982, Gomez was serving a three-year sentence on a San Diego burglary conviction.

Also captured in Durango, Mexico, by the Mexican police was Johnny Seturino, 22, said National City police officer Gary Stovall. Seturino is a suspect in the Sept. 21, 1988, killing of Jose Pascual. Pascual was shot from a passing vehicle about 10:45 p.m. in the 1600 block of East 18th Street in National City.