Ray Alexander Villalba, Carjacking, Oklahoma 2022

Tulsa, OK - A chilling tale of carjacking and robbery has come to an end with two men pleading guilty to their crimes. Ray Alexander Villalba, 21, of Arizona, and Elijah Paul Titone, 25, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, have admitted to their roles in a series of violent incidents that left one victim blindfolded and bound.

According to court documents, Villalba and Titone messaged a victim through a dating app on December 3, 2022, and arranged to meet up. Armed with guns, duct tape, and masks, they hid in bushes and attacked the victim, forcing him to hand over the keys to his vehicle. The victim was then bound and blindfolded, driven around, and threatened with harm if he didn't comply with their demands.

During the ordeal, Villalba drove the vehicle, while Titone rode in the back with the victim. The victim was eventually forced out of the car and left to walk home, where he contacted the Tulsa Police Department and reported the vehicle stolen.

This was not the only incident in which Villalba and Titone were involved. On December 6, 2022, they broke into a home in Broken Arrow, wearing ski masks and carrying firearms. They threatened the homeowner and demanded marijuana, but when the victim refused to comply, Villalba hit him in the eye with his firearm, causing permanent damage.

Villalba and Titone will remain in custody awaiting sentencing. They face multiple terms of imprisonment, including up to life for the firearm offenses. The federal district court judge will determine their sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Tulsa Police Department, and Broken Arrow Police Department conducted the investigation, while Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Elmore and John Brasher are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in communities.

The defendants' guilty pleas bring an end to a violent and terrifying series of events. As the investigation and prosecution of these crimes come to a close, we remember the victim who was left blindfolded and bound, and the homeowner who suffered permanent damage to his eye.

Defendant: Ray Alexander Villalba

Criminal Charges: Carjacking, Carrying and Using a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, Obstructing, Delaying, and Affecting Commerce by Robbery, Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence

City and State: Tulsa, OK

Exact Date: December 3, 2022

Sentence or Outcome: Awaiting sentencing

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndok/pr/two-men-plead-guilty-carjacking-and-robbery