3 Charged in Kidnapping, Robbing Costa Mesa Man

Three men and a woman were charged Friday with robbing a man at gunpoint at a Garden Grove motel and then forcing him to take them to several ATMs so he could withdraw more money.

The alleged victim — a 38-year-old Costa Mesa man — had contacted one of the suspects, Fiona Temukisa Fiaseu, through an online ad and arranged to meet with her at the Garden Grove Inn, 7912 Garden Grove Blvd., according to police.

Fiaseu, 26, Soane Venasio Lelenoa, 25, Francisco Javier Vasquez, 20, and Timothy Joseph Perez, 23, were charged with kidnapping to commit robbery, kidnapping during a carjacking, carjacking and first-degree robbery, all felonies. They face sentencing enhancements for the personal use of a firearm.

Fiaseu’s brother, Finau Faiseu, 24, was arrested Thursday and was behind bars in Orange County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail, according to jail records.

The alleged victim called police about 6:30 a.m., Aug. 15, reporting he was with Fiona Fiaseu in a room at the Garden Grove Inn earlier that morning when two men burst in and threatened him at gunpoint before punching and kicking him, according to Garden Grove police Lt. Ben Stauffer.

The robbers took the man’s wallet, phone and car keys, the lieutenant added.

A short time later, two other men showed up and forced the victim into his vehicle, using it to drive to the ATMs, Stauffer said.

The alleged victim was held captive for two hours by the robbers before they dumped him off in Costa Mesa, he said.

— City News Service