TULSA, OK – Ray Alexander Villalba, 21, of Arizona, and Elijah Paul Titone, 25, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, have admitted to a brutal spree of violence that included carjacking and a home invasion, culminating in the permanent loss of sight for one victim. Both men pleaded guilty in federal court today to multiple felonies stemming from incidents in December 2022.
The nightmare began December 3rd, when Villalba and Titone lured a man to a meeting spot using a dating app. The rendezvous was a setup. Armed with guns, duct tape, and masks, the pair ambushed the victim, assaulting him, binding his hands and feet, and blindfolding him. They stole his vehicle at gunpoint, with Villalba driving and Titone menacing the victim from the backseat. Threats were leveled against the victim and his family to ensure compliance. After driving some distance, the men abandoned the victim on the side of the road, leaving him to free himself and walk home, where he reported the stolen vehicle to the Tulsa Police Department.
Just three days later, on December 6th, Villalba and Titone escalated their crimes. This time, they targeted a home in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, breaking in while masked and armed. They demanded marijuana from the homeowner, becoming violent when their demands weren’t met. Villalba struck the victim in the eye with his firearm, resulting in permanent blindness. Before fleeing the scene, they stole the victim’s cell phone and keys, adding to the list of charges they now face.
Federal prosecutors revealed the pair will remain in custody pending sentencing. They each face a potential life sentence for the firearm offenses alone. The judge will consider U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors when determining the final punishment. The charges against them include Carjacking; Carrying and Using a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Obstructing, Delaying, and Affecting Commerce by Robbery; and Carrying, Using and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
The investigation was a joint effort by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Tulsa Police Department, and the Broken Arrow Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Elmore and John Brasher are leading the prosecution. This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, a program focused on reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement and communities.
The brazen nature of these attacks underscores the growing threat of violent crime in Oklahoma. The Department of Justice, through PSN, aims to foster trust within communities, support violence prevention organizations, prioritize strategic enforcement, and track results. But for the victim left permanently blinded, the promise of a safer neighborhood offers little comfort. The full extent of the punishment for Villalba and Titone will be determined at a later date, but the damage they’ve inflicted is irreversible.
Related Federal Cases
- Julio Cesar Aguirre, Carjacking Murder, Arizona 2024 · Oklahoma
- Laquinton Montral Harris, Hobbs Act Robbery, Tallahassee FL 2024 · Nevada
- Hatcher Day, Fentanyl Distribution, Tulsa OK, 2023 · Oklahoma
- Hatcher Day, Fentanyl & Firearms, Tulsa OK, 2023 · Oklahoma
- 23andMe, Data Auction Without Consent, New York NY, 2023 · New York
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Weapons|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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