After nearly 2 years, arrests made for Turkey Hill robbery

MATAMORAS — After nearly a two-year investigation, the Eastern Pike Regional Police Department in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Port Jervis Police Department have made two arrests in the Turkey Hill Armed Robbery occurring on May 5, 2011.

In the early morning hours of May 5, Eastern Pike officers responded to the Matamoras Turkey Hill for an armed robbery. The store clerk reported that a black male and a Hispanic male had displayed handguns and demanded money. The males both fled on foot toward Port Jervis with $80. in stolen money.

An investigation ensued and charges were filed through a criminal complaint with the Pike County District Attorney’s office for Simon Shomo, 25, from Middletown and Daniel Ortiz, 26, from Port Jervis. Further investigation revealed other robberies committed by the pair in the tri-state area, which led to the case being turned over to the FBI for prosecution. A federal arrest warrant was issued by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania for both Shomo and Ortiz for Robbery.

On April 11, the Eastern Pike police assisted the Port Jervis Police department in executing a search warrant on 114 Ball Street for a drug investigation, where Shomo was served a federal arrest warrant. Ortiz was later arrested on April 17 in Watertown, N.Y.