Los Angeles casino robbers plead guilty to ambushing victims and stealing winnings

Two South Gate men have pleaded guilty to more than a dozen armed robberies involving casinos, where in one instance they followed a victim as he drove off from the Hustler Casino in Gardena and stole cash from him at gunpoint.

Dereck Nathan Lopez, 22, and Juan Gabriel Gonzalez, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce under the Hobbs Act on Thursday.

The pair stole at least $274,600 in cash, casino chips and other items, and both have been in federal custody since May.

According to their plea agreements, Lopez and Gonzalez went into local casinos to hunt winning gamblers. The two would then follow the victims' vehicles as they drove from the casinos, ambush them on the highway, smash the vehicles' windows and demand money or chips at gunpoint.

Lopez and Gonzalez admitted to 15 robberies and attempted robberies committed in Los Angeles County from May 2023 to December 2023, including three victims leaving a casino on a single night in December 2023.

One of those incidents took place on Oct. 26, 2023, at the Hustler Casino. Using fake licenses, the pair followed a victim throughout the Gardena casino and watched as he cashed out $11,000 in casino chips.

The two followed the victim as he drove off and stopped him as he drove onto the 110 Freeway on ramp. They demanded money and stole $1,050 in cash and golf clubs worth $5,000.

Lopez further admitted to illegally possessing firearms and ammunition at his home in December 2023. Lopez is not legally permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition because his criminal history includes a conviction in San Bernardino County Superior Court for grand theft in November 2023.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 13, as each of the men faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

Lopez and Gonzalez have agreed to serve 14 years in federal prison.