Ernesto Noriega Cisneros, the man Paso Robles police say was seen in surveillance footage from last Wednesday's robbery at a downtown Paso Robles bank, was arrested last Friday in northwest Fresno and taken back to San Luis Obispo County jail. Paso Robles detectives said the arrest wrapped up a coordinated multi-agency investigation that followed the suspect from the Central Coast into the San Joaquin Valley.
According to the San Luis Obispo Tribune, Paso Robles detectives tracked Noriega to northwest Fresno and called in Fresno County detectives, who stopped a vehicle and arrested him at about 9:30 PM. Officers later handed him over to Paso Robles authorities, who booked him on suspicion of robbery and for allegedly violating the terms of his post-release community supervision. The FBI Los Angeles announced on X that Ernesto Noriega “has been captured” and thanked local law enforcement.
Ernesto Noriega, wanted for alleged bank robbery, has been captured. Many thanks to our law enforcement partners including @PasoRoblesPD and @FresnoPolice for their efforts and unwavering commitment to combating violent crimes that puts lives at risk. pic.twitter.com/nVkqq92Wlx
— FBI Los Angeles (@FBILosAngeles) July 2, 2026
How Investigators Tracked Him To Fresno
Police say the robbery happened just before 3 PM last Wednesday at the Wells Fargo on the 500 block of Spring Street, where a man handed a note demanding cash and claimed to be armed, although he never displayed a weapon, according to KSBY. Investigators reviewed surveillance footage and witness accounts, paying close attention to facial tattoos and clothing, to identify the suspect caught on camera.
Detectives then linked those images to a location in northwest Fresno, where Fresno County detectives ultimately took Noriega into custody before Paso Robles officers transported him back to San Luis Obispo County for booking, the San Luis Obispo Tribune reports. The investigation remains active, and police have asked anyone with information to contact the Paso Robles Police Department or Crime Stoppers.
Legal Next Steps
Noriega was booked on suspicion of robbery and for an alleged Post-Release Community Supervision violation, according to local law enforcement. Under California law (Penal Code §211), robbery is a felony, and Post-Release Community Supervision is a county-level program that can impose sanctions when someone violates supervision terms, according to the California Legislative Information site and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
The Wells Fargo branch briefly closed after the robbery but reopened the following day, and authorities publicly thanked residents for tips that helped move the case forward, KSBY reports. Anyone with information can call the Paso Robles Police Department at 805-237-6464 or Crime Stoppers at 805-549-7867.
