RivCo's 'Red-Bearded Robber' Sentenced In String Of Holdups

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — A probationer known as the "Red-Bearded Robber" was sentenced Monday to 30 years in state prison for committing multiple holdups in Corona, Riverside and surrounding locations.

Aleksandr Olegovich Varlitskiy, 28, of Perris admitted six counts of armed robbery under a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney's Office. In exchange, prosecutors dropped 10 related robbery charges.

Varlitskiy's July 11 plea came just as his case was about to be assigned a courtroom for a preliminary hearing, which would have determined whether there was sufficient evidence to warrant a trial.

Superior Court Judge O.G. Magno certified the terms of the plea agreement and imposed the sentence stipulated by the prosecution and defense.

The defendant who held up individuals and store clerks using a handgun between June 12 and Oct. 20 of last year, became known as the "Red-Bearded Robber" because of his distinct reddish blonde facial hair.

Eight of the robberies occurred in Corona, and investigators there coordinated with county sheriff's deputies, Riverside police and other agencies to identify the bandit.

No one was shot during the holdups, but Varlitskiy threatened all of the victims with his pistol, according to investigators. He took the victims' money and whatever other valuables they had on them.

According to court records, the defendant has prior convictions for grand theft, driving under the influence and possession of controlled substances.

— By City News Service