Call to police backfires for pair

Cathy Scott

Tuesday, Feb. 3, 1998 | 10:22 a.m.

One woman and two men were robbed at gunpoint and the men pistol whipped by two robbers before dawn Monday. But the two male victims were the ones who ended up in jail after Metro Police found cash and illegal drugs in the home.

At 4 a.m. Monday, robbery detectives were called by the residents to the house at 3741 N. Torrey Pines Drive near Alexander Road, police said. The three victims told police that two men entered the home through a kitchen window, woke them up and robbed them. The men also threatened them with a gun and fired one shot, police said. The two male residents told police they were pistol whipped. Several thousand dollars were stolen, they told police.

The two male residents were taken to a local hospital for treatment. When they returned, robbery detectives interviewed them and then arrested them, robbery Lt. John Alamshaw said.

A delay of 15 minutes from the time the suspects left to when police were called is when officers believe the victims tried to hide the cash and narcotics from officers, Alamshaw said.

"Our belief is that the robbery was drug-related," Alamshaw said.

Police confiscated a quarter pound of cocaine and methamphetamine, five pounds of marijuana and $14,000 in cash.

Steven Hofsaess, 34, and Vincent Nepolian, 32, were arrested and each charged with two counts of narcotics trafficking and possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell, and one count of conspiracy. They were each being held on $43,000 bail.