Medina-Ruiz is looking for help as his ploy to get deported backfires

A man accused of holding up a New Hanover County convenience store Friday said he was only looking for a way back to Mexico.

With no money to travel there on his own, he took a desperate measure in hopes of getting sent back.

Jose Luis Medina-Ruiz is sitting in the New Hanover County Jail, after two attempts to hold up a clerk at the Scotchman on Carolina Beach Road. He used a plastic gun and didn’t even accept the money from the clerk

He said he wanted to get the attention of the police, in hopes of getting deported to Mexico. He got their attention; the 36 year-old faces several charges including attempted robbery and 2nd degree kidnapping.

Medina-Ruiz, who is in the US illegally, said he does not have the money to go to Mexico on his own, and was hoping his ploy would be just the ticket.

Judi Nelson works at the Scotchman that was held up and said she has been told by her co-workers just how traumatic of an experience it was for them. “It really sounded real, even, because he cocked the gun when he had it to his neck,” she said.

Medina-Ruiz said he is not happy with how the situation played out, and is just looking for any help he can get.

Medina-Ruiz said he approached a police officer a few weeks ago in hopes of getting some help, but was told there was nothing that the officer could do for him.

Even if he is eventually deported, it w ill not be any time soon, because of all the charges he now faces here.