Couple convicted for home invasion robbery

BARSTOW • A young Barstow woman is set to be sentenced to two years in prison later this year for joining her older boyfriend as the two robbed a man at gunpoint in his home and stole his car.

Amber Day, 18, had a spotless record before she pleaded guilty to burglary Tuesday during a hearing at Barstow Superior Court. Her partner-in-crime, Ryan Blas, 29, pleaded guilty to robbery and was sentenced that day to six years in prison.

The pair robbed an acquaintance at his home Aug. 14, threatening him with a gun as they took his wallet and fled in his ’97 Nissan 200SX. The victim delayed telling police because he was afraid of them, he said.

“What they put the victim through was horrible,” Deputy District Attorney Robin Hass said. “Any time you go into someone’s house and do that, you’re looking at state prison.”

The convictions will be a strike on their records. This will be Blas’ second strike as he was previously convicted for vehicle theft and has a number of theft and drug convictions in San Bernardino County.

Hass said her office went easier on Day in part because of Day’s clean record and young age. And though Day could have been charged with robbery, she was not the one who held the gun during the commission of the crime.

“I think that it was a fair disposition,” Hass said. “I think it was fair because there were some issues in the case that may have made it difficult to prove every element. And I think the fact that they plead early on and that the male defendant plead to a second strike and she plead to a first strike, I feel that sentence is appropriate.”

Neither defense attorney returned calls for comment Wednesday.

Day’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 17 at Barstow Superior Court.

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