Two Los Angeles men charged for robbing people of winnings as they left Southern California casinos
Two South Gate men were charged on Friday for a string of alleged armed robberies in which they targeted people leaving from Southern California casinos, according to federal prosecutors.
Juan Gabriel Gonzalez, 22, and Dereck Nathan Lopez, 21, were both charged with multiple counts of interference and attempted interference with commerce by robbery, which is also known as a Hobbs Act crime. They were also charged with one count of Hobbs Act conspiracy and multiple counts of using firearms during a crime of violence. Lopez was also charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
Prosecutors said that Lopez is in state custody and will appear in federal court in coming weeks, while Lopez made his initial appearance on Friday.
The men are said to have entered local casinos under false names so they could "hunt gamblers appearing to win or cash-in a large number of chips," the release from the U.S. Department of Justice said.
"Lopez, Gonzalez and other co-conspirators then followed the victims' vehicles from the casino, ambushed them on the highway, brandished firearms, smashed the vehicle's windows, demanded money or chips, and fled," the release further noted.
They say that there were at least 15 different incidents, including three of which happened on one single night.
The release says that before one of the robberies, Lopez can be seen on casino surveillance video footage celebrating a gambling victory with a victim he was scouting. He high-fived the victim after the win, court documents said.
"Within an hour, Lopez's co-conspirators had blocked in her vehicle, brandishing firearms, and stolen $21,000 in cash," the release said.
In another incident, the group stole at least $130,000 in winnings, prosecutors noted.
If convicted as charged, both Lopez and Gonzalez face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison, according to prosecutors.
They say that Lopez was charged in Dec. 2023 of being a felon in possession of three firearms and over 30 rounds of ammunition found at his home. He is not permitted to possess a firearm or ammo because of his criminal history, which includes a grand theft conviction in San Bernardino Superior Court in Nov. 2023.
The investigation was a collaborative effort between the FBI, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Los Angles Police Department, California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Justice Bureau of Gambling Control and the Montebello Police Department.
