Angelo Atencio II, who sparked a multi-state manhunt after escaping from Lassen County Jail, was convicted by a Lassen County jury on October 18, 2024, of multiple felony charges, including kidnapping for robbery, first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, false imprisonment by violence, grand theft of a firearm, felon in possession of a firearm, and vehicle theft. The jury also found that Atencio was armed with a firearm during several of these crimes and that he tied and bound his victim.
Atencio’s criminal activity first came to light during a home invasion robbery on May 14, 2022, when he held a woman at gunpoint in her home on Center Road, near Belfast Road. He tied her hands and legs behind her back and ransacked the residence for several hours. The ordeal ended when the victim’s family arrived, prompting Atencio to flee in the victim’s vehicle. He was apprehended later that night after a daylong manhunt involving air support from the California Highway Patrol.
Atencio was initially booked on charges of robbery of an inhabited dwelling, kidnapping, false imprisonment, felon in possession of a firearm, vehicle theft, and parole violation. He was held without bail for the parole violation, with additional bail set at $117,500 for the other charges.
Atencio’s subsequent escape from Lassen County Jail led to a high-stakes standoff in Winnemucca, Nevada, where he and his accomplice, Ashly Ward, evaded authorities for several hours. During the stand-off, a fire broke out in the home where they had barricaded themselves, forcing both fugitives into the basement. Despite extensive negotiations, Atencio refused to surrender, and Humboldt County’s special response team eventually had to rescue Ward and extract Atencio as the house burned.
Atencio and Ward were both taken into custody and booked into the Humboldt County Detention Center, where they faced additional charges for crossing state lines as fugitives.
Atencio now faces sentencing on November 18, 2024, for the multiple felony convictions from his Lassen County trial. This case was prosecuted by District Attorney S. Melyssah Rios and marks the 23rd jury trial successfully presented by the District Attorney’s office this year.
