Two men charged with beating man with chain-wrapped club, robbing him

Two men are accused of using a chain-wrapped club to beat and rob a man who was trying to buy drugs last week, according to the Spokane Valley Police Department.

Spokane Valley deputies responded at about 11:05 a.m. Saturday to several calls of a man being assaulted with a bat or similar weapon behind businesses in the 5600 block of East Sprague Avenue, police said. Witnesses said the attackers were leaving through the parking lot on bicycles.

Two deputies located the two men – 44-year-old Armando Guerro-Lopez and 36-year-old Richard Corrales.

The victim admitted he was there to try to buy drugs from a person he knows, and that person left before the alleged robbery occurred, the release said.

Then, Guerro-Lopez and Corrales, whom he had met before, arrived on bikes. The victim said he was going to buy drugs from them, stating Corrales had fentanyl in his backpack.

He told police Guerro-Lopez and Corrales started yelling at him and demanding money. The suspects tried to take the victim’s belongings, and when they didn’t get what they wanted, Guerro-Lopez began hitting him with a chain-wrapped club or bat, police said. Corrales punched the victim.

The victim told police Guerro-Lopez and Corrales stole $23 in cash, his EBT card, bus pass and a gold ring. Deputies recovered those items while searching the suspects, police said.

The victim sustained severe injuries to his face/head and arm. He was taken to the hospital with what were believed to be injuries that were not life-threatening, according to police.

Police found a small amount of suspected fentanyl in Corrales’ backpack.

Police said all three men are homeless.

Guerro-Lopez and Corrales were booked into the Spokane County Jail on suspicion of first-degree robbery. Their bonds were set at $50,000, and they remained in jail Wednesday night.

Both made their first appearances in Spokane County Superior Court this week and are set for arraignments June 18.