Editor's Note: Authorities initially spelled the suspect's middle name incorrectly. The corrected spelling is included in this story.
A Los Angeles man allegedly involved in the drive-in burglary of an Apple store in Temecula is facing another charge, court records indicate.
Equonne Roman Howard, 22, now faces a sentence-enhancing charge of involvement in a criminal street gang, in addition to burglary and other felonies.
Howard is charged with two counts each of burglary and defrauding another of property; he is also charged with a single count of vandalism.
The thieves rammed an SUV into an Apple store at 40764 Winchester Road during the early morning hours of Sept. 6.
According to court records, the gang charge was filed Tuesday, prompting a defense attorney to ask for postponement of a preliminary hearing that was scheduled for the same day.
Riverside County Superior Court Judge Michael Rushton postponed the preliminary hearing until Oct. 9.
A sort of mini-trial where a prosecutor presents evidence for a judge to determine whether a case should move forward, the preliminary hearing for Howard is expected to take two hours.
A surveillance video of the crime shows the BMW repeatedly backing and smashing into a security gate that came down once the vehicle was driven into the store.
To read more about the crime, please click here.
Howard was stopped hours after the burglary, walking around The Promenade.
The BMW sports utility vehicle used in the heist was found damaged and parked in a lot on Ynez Road, off Winchester Road.
Howard remained jailed in lieu of $600,000 bail.
There has been no word on any of the other suspects involved in the crime and the investigation was continuing.
