LOS ANGELES—The second of two South American nationals allegedly linked to the armed robbery of a $1 million emerald-encrusted watch from a tourist sitting on the patio of a restaurant at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel pleaded not guilty this week to a federal charge.
Jesus Eduardo Padron Rojas, 19, of Venezuela entered his plea in downtown Los Angeles to one count of interference with commerce by robbery—known as a federal Hobbs Act crime, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
A tentative trial date of Oct. 22 was scheduled.
A mystery lingers over how Padron and his co-defendant came into possession of a handgun registered to Christopher Dorner, the notorious former LAPD officer who killed four people before dying at the end of a standoff with police 11 years ago….