Vehicle reported stolen in Placerville leads to arrests made in South Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - On Thursday, February 20, an officer from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) on routine patrol located a vehicle that was believed to be part of a crime in the Placerville area.

At 8:00 a.m. two days prior, the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office (EDSO) responded to a call near Placerville about an alleged carjacking. The victim knew the suspects and had been riding in the vehicle with them at the time of the incident. They had just driven from South Lake Tahoe to the Placerville area where the crime occurred, EDSO said.

EDSO sent out a bulletin about the alleged crime including the car's description and license plate number and about noon on the 20th, the SLTPD officer spotted it parked in front of a motel in the 2600 block to Lake Tahoe Blvd. The four people the victim said stole his car were inside the vehicle and subsequently arrested.

EDSO Sgt. Anthony Prencipe said no other details about the alleged carjacking and robbery can be released at this time.

Currently being held in the El Dorado County Jail in South Lake Tahoe:

21-year-old Alibi Smith on two fugitive from justice charges. No bail is listed.
27-year-old Ronnie Gionta on carjacking and robbery charges. His bail is currently set at $665,000 plus bail enhancements.
30-year-old Michelle Raiter on carjacking, robbery, theft and spousal battery charges. Her current bail is $1,027,500 plus bail enhancements.

A fourth person was arrested but charges were dropped due to insufficient grounds to file a complaint against her.

The suspects are slated to be in court in South Lake Tahoe on March 2, 2020.