Serial Armed Robber Sentenced to State Prison

Today in Department 4 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Tulare man Marquel Licon, 21, was sentenced to 30 years in state prison for a series of armed robberies and battery on a jail deputy while in custody.

Over the course of two weeks beginning on November 15, 2018, Licon robbed seven stores in Tulare, Goshen, Earlimart, Ivanhoe, and Visalia. Licon acted as the lead robber, entering the stores in the evening with a rifle or handgun to demand cash from the store clerk(s). In a few of the robberies, two other men, Roman Cisneros, 22, and Joseph Avalos, 21, would serve as lookout and getaway driver. Through investigation, Licon was located and arrested on November 26, 2018, where he admitted the crimes to TCSO deputies.

While in custody at the Bob Wiley detention facility in August 2019, Licon assaulted a jail deputy. He pleaded no contest to felony battery on a custodial officer in November 2019. On January 29, 2020, Licon pleaded no contest to nine counts of second-degree robbery against nine victims with the special allegation of personal use of a firearm.

Cisneros was sentenced to 7 years and Avalos 5 years in prison for their roles in the robberies.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Grigor Momjyan and was investigated by the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department, the Tulare Police Department, and the Visalia Police Department.

Media inquiries can be directed to the Office of the District Attorney, County of Tulare Assistant District Attorney David Alavezos (559) 636-5494