Riverside Man Pleads Not Guilty in Series of Robberies Near UC Riverside

Shareef Maki Pendergrass, 18, pleaded not guilty to four felony counts on Thursday before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Gail O’Rane. The defendant is currently held in custody at the Byrd Detention Center. His public defender has requested a hearing on Nov. 9 to determine if his $280,000 bail requirement can be lowered.

Pendergrass was arrested on Monday following a joint investigation conducted by the Riverside Police Department and the UC Riverside Police Department. He is charged with one count of robbery, three counts of attempted robbery, and one count of witness intimidation. The court has set the next procedural step for the early November hearing, where the judge will review factors such as his lack of prior criminal history.

Detective Steve Espinosa of the Riverside Police Department stated that the alleged crimes primarily took place in the Canyon Crest neighborhood, located within a few miles of the university. The first incident occurred on the evening of Oct. 23 near the Islamic Center of Riverside at 1038 Linden St. Espinosa said the defendant was riding a scooter when he approached a pedestrian. The suspect demanded money, and the victim believed he was armed with a handgun. The victim handed over cash and valuables before the defendant fled the scene.

Espinosa noted that within one to two hours of the first incident, Pendergrass allegedly confronted a second individual outside the Stonehaven Apartments at the intersection of Blaine Street and Canyon Crest Drive. The defendant demanded money from this victim, who did not have any on hand. A third incident was reported on Saturday at approximately 7:07 p.m. at the University Crest Apartments, located at 3130 Canyon Crest Drive. Espinosa described this robbery as sharing similar circumstances to the events of the previous evening.

Police obtained a search warrant for Pendergrass' apartment on Watkins Drive, situated just off the campus. Officers served the warrant and took the defendant into custody on Monday without incident. Authorities have not released information on whether Pendergrass was enrolled as a student at the university. No other background details were provided by law enforcement.

None of the three victims identified in the police report suffered physical injuries. The victims were not named in the official release. The case remains pending in Riverside County Superior Court as the legal team prepares for the bail reduction argument.