Man facing several charges after South Lake Tahoe robbery

South Lake Tahoe Police Department officers responded to a report of an armed robbery on Friday night at 7:10 p.m. in the area of the CVS Pharmacy and Tahoe Beach Retreat Hotel on Highway 50. Two adult males reported being robbed by a man brandishing a handgun and long-bladed knife.

As they arrived, officers received other reports of the suspect firing one round after robbing two other adult men at the rear of the hotel.

Two SLTPD officers working a plain-clothes detail with a law enforcement agent from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control saw the suspect walking cross US Highway 50 to the parking lot of the Safeway supermarket, located at 1020 Johnson Blvd. They detained and searched the suspect, 32-year-old Adam Sanford of Hayward, Calif. Sanford possessed a loaded 9mm handgun in his waistband that had been stolen from Pollock Pines a month ago. Sanford also possessed two knives, each nearly a foot long. All four victims positively identified Sanford independently as the man who had robbed them.

The first two victims are both residents of South Lake Tahoe; 25 year years of age and 19 years of age, respectively. The first two victims, ages 25 and 19, are South Lake Tahoe locals. They told officer they had been walking together in the area of the CVS Pharmacy when Sanford walked up to them and displayed both weapons. They said Sanford threatened to kill them if they did not surrender their wallets. After stealing their property, they watched Sanford walk away toward the Tahoe Beach Retreat hotel.

The two other victims, a 38-year-old resident of Tahoe Vista and a 22-year-old Incline Village resident, were outside the Tahoe Beach Retreat, with a group of approximately 15 other people. They explained that Sanford approached them on foot and brandished a gun and a large knife at them, demanding their wallets. The group of people fled the area, and these two victims were forced to remain with Sanford as he pointed his weapons at them and threatened them. After stealing their property, they watched Sanford begin walking away. After a short distance they watched Sanford point his gun into the air and fire one shot.

Sanford is an ex-felon and is on probation in Sacramento County for burglary. He was booked into the El Dorado County Jail with no bail after being charged with 11 individual crimes (listed below). Sanford also had three outstanding arrest warrants from Placer County for theft, resisting police and failure to appear in court.

Sanford was charged with committing the following crimes in South Lake Tahoe:

211 PC - Robbery
246.3(a) PC - Willful Discharge of Firearm in Negligent Manner
422(a) PC - Criminal Threats
417(a)(2) PC - Exhibit Firearm
496(a) PC - Possession of Stolen Property
21310 PC - Carry Concealed Dirk or Dagger
25800(a) PC - Carry a Loaded Firearm with the Intent to Commit a Felony
25850(a) PC - Carry a Loaded Firearm in Public
29900(a)(1) PC - Possession of a Firearm with Prior Violent Offense
30305(a)(1) PC - Prohibited Person in Possession of Ammunition
1203.2(a) PC - Violation of Probation