Man and woman accused of tying up employees during armed robbery at Prosser store

A man and woman armed with guns allegedly tied up employees with electrical cords while they stole the cash from a Prosser store.

Investigators believe Adela Valencia-Mendoza, 42, of Wapato, and Alejandro Figueroa Santana, 40, walked into North Prosser Market on West Johnson Road about 9:15 p.m. on Feb. 21 with guns, court documents said.

Valencia-Mendoza allegedly had a pistol while Figueroa Santana had a long gun.

Along with taking money from the register, they used electrical cords to tie the ankles and wrists of the two store employees. They also allegedly grabbed the employees’ phones and and left with boxes, at least one of which had rolled coins, court documents said.

Deputies were able to identify Valencia-Mendoza’s white Subaru approaching the store using traffic cameras. The car matched the one the robbery suspects used, Benton County detectives said.

Investigators tracked the car to First Avenue in Yakima on Feb. 21, where they found Valencia-Mendoza coming out of a building wearing a similar hoodie to what the suspect in the robbery used.

When she spoke to investigators, she allegedly admitted to the robbery, but said she used a fake gun.

Benton County sheriff’s deputies found Figueroa Santana two days later in Wapato.

They’ve both being held in lieu of $100,000 bail in the Benton County jail. Valencia-Mendoza has been charged with two counts of first-degree robbery. Figueroa-Santana is being held on suspicion of first-degree robbery.