23-year-old man faces federal charges for more than 30 attempted robberies at LA, OC gas stations
A 23-year-old Los Angeles man faces up to 20 years in federal prison as he awaits a detention hearing for allegedly committing 31 different robberies or attempted robberies throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties in less than a month's time.
According to the federal complaint filed on Tuesday, Namir Malik Ali Greene was arrested Monday following a pursuit stemming from a carjacking that occurred over the weekend. Police identified the stolen vehicle, a Honda Accord, which was carjacked at an Anaheim gas station.
After police attempted to pull Greene over, he fled, leading a quick chase that ended when he lost control of the vehicle and slammed into a curb, disabling the car. He then fled on foot but was taking into custody shortly after.
Greene's first court appearance came Tuesday in Santa Ana, where a judge ordered that he be held in federal custody until Thursday's scheduled detention hearing.
On top of the dozens of attempted robberies at gas stations and convenience stores beginning on March 21, Greene is also charged with violation of the Hobbs Act, which prohibits "actual or attempted robbery or extortion affecting interstate or foreign commerce 'in any way or degree.'"
If convicted, he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The complaint details several of the crimes allegedly committed by Greene, including a different carjacking that occurred on March 21 in Fullerton. During the robberies, he is said to have held employees at gunpoint, threatening to shoot them if they did not give him the money from the cash register.
During the entire spree, Greene supposedly stole more than $15,000 in cash, at least $2,500 of which came on April 4, when he robbed eight different gas stations located in Hermosa Beach, Marina del Rey, Long Beach, Pico Rivera, Whittier, Montebello, Santa Monica and Mid-City.
Investigators were able to identify Greene as the suspect thanks to security camera footage, eyewitness reports and tattoos and jewelry from photos on his personal Instagram account, according to the complaint.
