Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: US FBI

LOS ANGELES – Attorney General Pamela Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel recently announced an unprecedented national initiative to protect the most vulnerable members of our communities. The FBI launched a coordinated effort with all field offices in a sweeping action to identify, track and arrest child sex predators.

Since the end of April, the FBI arrested 205 subjects across the country and rescued 115 children during Operation Restore Justice. These subjects are accused of various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. They include school leaders and registered sex offenders, among others. 

In the Central District of California, a seven-county jurisdiction that includes Los Angeles and Orange counties, five defendants were charged with federal crimes as follows:

• Andrew Castillon, 47, of El Monte, was arrested May 1 on a federal criminal complaint charging him with possession of child pornography. A federal magistrate judge ordered him released on $5,000 bond. Castillon’s arraignment is scheduled for May 27 in United States District Court in Los Angeles. Assistant United States Attorney Thi H. Ho of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
• Jose Olvera, 34, of North Hollywood, was arrested May 1 on a federal indictment charging him with two counts of distribution of child pornography and five counts of possession of child pornography. He pleaded not guilty to all charges at his arraignment and a June 23 trial was scheduled in this case. A federal magistrate judge ordered him jailed without bond. Assistant United States Attorney Mikaela W. Gilbert-Lurie of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
• Steven Martin Nuss, 66, of San Juan Capistrano, was arrested May 9 on a two-count federal grand jury indictment charging him with distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography. He pleaded not guilty to both charges and a federal magistrate judge ordered him jailed without bond. He is scheduled to go to trial on July 1. Assistant United States Attorney Melissa S. Rabbani of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this case.
• David Eugene Parker, 55, of La Palma, was arrested April 30 on federal grand jury indictment charging him with two counts of possession of child pornography. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and a federal magistrate judge ordered him released on $100,000 bond. A June 24 trial date is scheduled in this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren E. Border of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
• Gregory Cole Jr., 30, of Lancaster, was arrested April 30 in Arizona after he failed to appear at his trial earlier last month in which a jury found him guilty in absentia of one count of production of child pornography, one count of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, and one count of receipt of child pornography. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 23, at which time he will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Assistant United States Attorney Derek R. Flores of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.

Two additional individuals were arrested in Los Angeles for sexual exploitation of a child and charges of coercion and enticement, respectively; however, those cases are being prosecuted in separate districts.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

“Sexual predators who target children leave emotional scars that can last a lifetime,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Along with our law enforcement partners, we seek to bring a measure of solace to victims and put criminals on notice that they risk lengthy prison sentences and severe penalties for harming children.”

“The amount of child predators arrested during Operation Restore Justice should shock the conscience of any law-abiding citizen and parents or guardians, in particular,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.  “Each day, our agents are tackling criminal allegations involving children, whether it be online dangers such as ‘sextortion,’ emerging nihilist extremist networks such as ‘764,’ or children being groomed by someone close to them. We urge caretakers of all children to educate themselves about these constant threats targeting the most vulnerable members of our society.”

As the nation marked National Child Abuse Prevention month in April, the timing of this effort was a culmination of countless hours by hundreds of FBI agents. It further underscores the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Bureau works relentlessly to investigate these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of prevention and community education.

The FBI takes a proactive approach to identify unknown individuals involved in the sexual exploitation of children and the production of child sexual abuse material. We do that through our Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces (CEHTTFs) located in each field office. This allows the FBI to combine resources with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The FBI also partners with the nonprofit National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org. 

In 2004, the FBI created the Endangered Child Alert Program (ECAP) to identify individuals involved in the sexual abuse of children and the production of child sexual abuse material. The program is a collaborative effort between the FBI and the NMCEC.

The FBI also offers resources for parents and caregivers to stay engaged with their children’s online and offline activities. The FBI’s Safe Online Surfing (SOS) program teaches students in grades 3 to 8 how to navigate the web safely.

The FBI urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through our tiplines at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office. 

Other online resources:

• Electronic Press Kit:

Source: US FBI

LOS ANGELES – A South Bay man was sentenced today to 300 months in federal prison for leading a ring that committed 12 armed robberies of Los Angeles County businesses – mostly chain-store pharmacies – during a six-week crime spree in 2023.

Makai Yusef Sanders, 23, a.k.a. “Muk Muk,” of Hawthorne, was sentenced by United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner, who also ordered him to pay $48,490 in restitution. 

Sanders, who has been in federal custody since October 2023, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

In August and September of 2023, Sanders “personally victimized countless employees and customers in armed robberies of nine pharmacies and two…restaurants,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum, noting that during one robbery Sanders “[held] a victim by the neck and [dragged] him around the store, while brandishing a handgun in his other hand.” 

The targeted businesses included Rite Aid stores in Long Beach, Bellflower, North Hollywood, Whittier, and South Los Angeles, and Walgreens stores in Pasadena, Lakewood, Monterey Park, and Glendale. Sanders and his co-conspirators also targeted Wingstop restaurants in Lynwood and Whittier.

The ring’s co-leader, Kenyatta Kamar Jones, 23, a.k.a. “Yatta,” of Hawthorne, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, one count of Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. On April 28, Judge Klausner sentenced Jones to 25 years in federal prison and ordered him to pay $48,490 in restitution.

Co-defendants Diavion Deshawna Mouton, 23, of Carson, and Rodney Darrin Maxwell Evans, 23, of South Los Angeles, are scheduled to be sentenced on June 9. In December 2024, Mouton and Evans were each found guilty by a jury of one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Mouton and Evans participated in two armed robberies during the six-week crime spree.

Co-defendant Adrian Timothy Bedran, 24, of Rosemead, pleaded guilty on September 9 to one count of Hobbs Act robbery. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8. Co-defendant DeAngel Daryl Alvarez, 23, a.k.a. “Macc,” of the Athens area of South Los Angeles, pleaded guilty on February 24 to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 2. Co-defendant Kevin Antwon Gadley, 21, a.k.a. “One Shot,” of San Fernando, was transferred from state to federal custody on April 28, and is currently scheduled to stand trial on June 24, for one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, one count of Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

The FBI; the Glendale Police Department; the Los Angeles Police Department; the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; the Inglewood Police Department; the Long Beach Police Department; the Pasadena Police Department; the Monterey Park Police Department; the Whittier Police Department; and the Burbank Police Department investigated this matter.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Jena A. MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Juan M. Rodriguez of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section are prosecuting this case.

Source: US FBI

Tampa, FL – Today, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.

“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”

“Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children. The FBI is relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us.”

In the Middle District of Florida, five individuals were arrested and charged with federal offenses, including production, attempted production, receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse material, enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, and attempted transmission of harmful material to a minor.

“Children are among our society’s most vulnerable populations and must be protected at all costs,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “We will leave no stone unturned in finding and prosecuting those who prey upon their innocence and bring the perpetrators to justice.”

“Operation Restore Justice underscores the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Jason J. Carley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “Every arrest in these child sexual abuse cases sends a powerful message: crimes against children will not be tolerated, and the FBI and our partners will continue to surge resources to bring abusers of children to justice.”

“This operation is an example of the ongoing, relentless determination of the special agents, task force officers, and analysts working to protect our most vulnerable,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor. “This is tough work; and I commend these investigative teams making it their mission to identify these predators and ensure that justice is served.”

Operation Restore Justice MDFL Arrests

Jacksonville

On April 30, 2025, Brittany Karen Firth (41, St. Augustine) was arrested on a criminal complaint charging her with production, attempted production, distribution, and receipt of CSAM. If convicted, Firth faces a minimum sentence of 15 years, up to 70 years, in federal prison. According to the complaint, detectives with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children unit received information from a social media and gaming platform company that CSAM had been uploaded by user “xo.southpaw.ox,” later identified as Firth. A search warrant revealed that from May through September 2024, Firth engaged in approximately 5,000 online text messages with another platform user (Person 1) who was identified by law enforcement in Utah as a registered sex offender who had previously been convicted of a child sex offense. The investigation revealed that Person 1 had access to two children and during his online conversations with Firth, Person 1 exchanged sexually explicit messages regarding, among other things, Person 1’s desires and efforts to engage in sexual conduct with these children. Person 1 streamed live video of his sexualized interactions with the children to Firth. On several occasions, Firth screen-recorded live-streaming video of Person 1 as he sexually abused one of the children.

Ocala

Jordan Dave Persad (22, Phoenix) was arrested on April 30, 2025, on an indictment charging him with possession of CSAM and possession of contraband (a cellphone) by federal prisoner. If convicted, Persad faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for the CSAM offense; he also faces up to one year of incarceration for the contraband offense. According to court documents while Persad was an inmate at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County, he possessed a contraband cellphone and material that contained an image of CSAM.

Tampa

Lee Hughes (45, Pinellas Park), a third-grade teacher, was arrested on May 1, 2025, and charged with attempted transmission of harmful material to a minor. If convicted, Hughes faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. According to court documents, from June 2024 to May 2025, Hughes communicated with an undercover officer in an attempt to engage in sexual intercourse with the undercover officer’s purported nine-year-old daughter. Throughout their communications, Hughes sent the undercover officer approximately 10 explicit photos and/or videos of himself, with the request that they be shown to the purported child. On May 1, 2025, Hughes traveled to an agreed-upon location to engage in sexual intercourse with the purported nine-year-old girl and was arrested.

Tampa

On May 1, 2025, Jonathan Richmond (30, St. Petersburg) was arrested on a two-count indictment charging him with receipt and possession of CSAM. If convicted, Richmond faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison on each count.

Orlando

On April 29, 2025, Steve C. Gopal (42, Ocoee) was arrested on an indictment charging him with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Gopal faces a minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.

An indictment/complaint is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. 

While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.

The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.

The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office. 0

Other online resources:

Electronic Press Kit

Violent Crimes Against Children

How we can help you: Parents and caregivers protecting your kids

Source: US FBI

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Five defendants who were convicted of a conspiracy scheme to defraud the retirement accounts of elderly and retired Florida school district employees have been sentenced after three defendants pleaded guilty and two defendants were found guilty by a federal jury. Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentences of the following defendants:

• Lambert Aguebor, 33, of Miramar, Florida, has been sentenced to 71 months in federal prison after previously being found guilty by a federal jury of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
• Floyd Bostic, 42, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been sentenced to 87 months in federal prison after previously being found guilty by a federal jury of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, three counts of Wire Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, 16 counts of Money Laundering, and Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business.
• Grace Aguebor, 36, of Miramar, Florida, has been sentenced to 70 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft.
• Ronald Vargas, 38, of Osteen, Florida, has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
• Sarina Levy, 34, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, has been sentenced to 6 months and 1 day in federal prison, to be followed by 6 months of home detention, after previously pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft.

“Americans are fed up with the constant barrage of scams that maliciously target the elderly,” said Acting United States Attorney Spaven. “With the assistance of our dedicated law enforcement partners, we are committed to investigating and aggressively prosecuting those who seek to steal the hard-earned savings of our senior citizens.”

Evidence presented at trial and court records show that Vargas worked as a Retirement Specialist at a Tallahassee-based company that administers a retirement 401(k) savings program whose participants are comprised largely of Florida school district employees or prior employees. Between January 2022, and March 2022, Vargas conspired with siblings Grace Aguebor and Lambert Aguebor to steal the retirement funds from the accounts of elderly retired school district employees—some of whom were deceased. Through his position, Vargas had access to the retired employees’ personally identifiable information (“PII”) and oversaw the processing of withdrawal requests from the 401(k) accounts. Vargas provided Grace and Lambert with PII of elderly 401(k) participants whose retirement accounts appeared to be dormant so the PII could be used to prepare fraudulent withdrawal request forms for these accounts.

The fraudulent withdrawal request forms were then faxed to the company where Vargas worked so he could process them. Grace and Bostic personally faxed some of the fraudulent withdrawal request forms; in other cases, the fraudulent forms were given to other conspirators, including Levy, to fax. Once Vargas processed the forms, the stolen retirement funds were transferred to bank accounts controlled by Grace, Bostic, and other conspirators. In total, the conspirators withdrew and attempted to withdraw retirement funds from 25 different 401(k) accounts, resulting in a net total of $1.1 million actually being stolen.

Evidence presented to the jury showed that Bostic also served as a money launderer who received over half of the stolen funds into his personal bank accounts and those of his Tallahassee-based music promotion businesses. Bostic then transferred some of the stolen funds between his various bank accounts in an effort to conceal or disguise its nature, location, source, or ownership. Evidence also showed that Bostic used some of the stolen funds to purchase a residence and pay for his personal and business expenses. Bostic also withdrew over $400,000 worth of stolen funds in cash at various banks and ATMs in Tallahassee and central Florida. The jury also saw evidence which showed that Bostic communicated and coordinated with Lambert Aguebor about the transfer of the stolen funds and to arrange meetings in central Florida.

In addition to their prison sentences, the defendants were ordered to pay restitution totaling approximately $1,000,000 to the victims. The defendants’ imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release.

This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.

“Motivated by sheer greed, these individuals conspired to take advantage of Florida’s public servants, and their punishments mark an important step in holding these fraudsters accountable,” said FBI Jacksonville Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Carley. “Fraud and corruption pose a fundamental threat to our national security and our way of life, and the FBI and our partners will continue to identify and bring to justice anyone who takes advantage of hardworking Americans, and especially educators who dedicate their lives to supporting our children.”

“As law enforcement professionals, it is our duty to protect our community, especially our most vulnerable members, from those who seek to exploit them for personal gain,” said Chief Lawrence Revell of the Tallahassee Police Department. “This case is a clear example of how greed can drive individuals to harm others, and we remain committed to working alongside our federal partners to ensure those who commit such crimes are held accountable.”

If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.

More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, at www.ovc.gov.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

Source: US FBI

Authorities Made Arrests as Part of Coordinated Effort to Restore Order and Uphold Immigration Laws.

Source: US FBI

LOS ANGELES – A former employee of the California Employment Development Department (EDD), which administers the state’s unemployment insurance (UI) program, and her former boyfriend were sentenced today to federal prison terms for fraudulently obtaining hundreds of thousands of dollars in COVID-19 pandemic-related jobless benefits.          

Phyllis Hope Stitt, 61, of Carson, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison by United States District Judge André Birotte Jr., who also ordered her to pay $768,958 in restitution.

Judge Birotte today also sentenced Kenneth Earl Riley, 64, of South Los Angeles, to 20 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay $611,458 in restitution.

Stitt and Riley had been in a romantic relationship for more than 10 years at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic while Stitt was employed by the EDD as an employment program representative. Her job duties included determining claimant eligibility for UI benefits and performing claim processing activities.

From March 2020 to September 2021, while using the access and information available to her in her position with EDD, Stitt acquired the names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and other personal identifying information of victims that were used to submit fraudulent claims.

Stitt then filed fraudulent applications for UI benefits without the victims’ knowledge or consent, and then increased the amount of UI benefits paid out by backdating the fraudulent requests to maximize the claims.

Stitt certified the fraudulent applications alleging that the victims had submitted their employment history and driver’s license information, and she confirmed they were unemployed because of the pandemic and actively were searching for work.

Many of the victims were ineligible to receive these benefits because they were currently employed, not unemployed because of the pandemic, or were deceased at the time.

In filing the fraudulent applications, Stitt used mailing addresses to which Riley had access. Riley then used debit cards and accounts created because of these fraudulent applications. Riley then made cash withdrawals at ATMs, bank transfers and retail purchases.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolster efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Central and Eastern Districts of California to jointly head one of the three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. The Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors, as well as those who committed instances of pandemic relief fraud. The Strike Force uses prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. Additional information regarding the Strike Force may be found at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-covid-19-fraud-strike-force-teams.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

The United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and the California Employment Development Department Investigation Division investigated this matter.

Assistant United States Attorney Steven M. Arkow of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted case.

Source: US FBI

LOS ANGELES – Two South Gate men have been charged in a federal indictment unsealed today for allegedly committing more than a dozen armed robberies, stealing gambling winnings from individuals leaving local casinos.

Juan Gabriel Gonzalez, 22, was arrested and will make his initial appearance in federal court today. Dereck Nathan Lopez, 21, is currently in state custody and expected to appear in federal court in the coming weeks.

Both defendants are charged with multiple counts of interference and attempted interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), one count of Hobbs Act conspiracy, and multiple counts of using firearms during a crime of violence. Lopez is also charged with one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. 

According to the 10-count indictment, Lopez and Gonzalez entered local casinos under false names to hunt gamblers appearing to win or cash-in a large number of chips. 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. Lopez, Gonzalez, and other conspirators allegedly robbed and attempted to rob individuals leaving casinos in this manner on at least 15 different occasions, including three on a single night. 

Before one incident, Lopez is seen on casino surveillance video celebrating a gambling victory with a victim he was scouting, including high-fiving the victim after the win, according to court documents. Within an hour, Lopez’s co-conspirators had blocked in her vehicle, brandished firearms, and stolen $21,000 in cash. In a separate incident, Lopez, Gonzalez and their co-conspirators stole at least $130,000 in casino winnings.

Lopez is also charged with being a felon in possession of three firearms and over 30 rounds of ammunition found 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 Superior Court for grand theft in November 2023 during the pendency of the indicted robbery spree.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

If convicted of all charges, each defendant would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.

Operation Safe Cities establishes strategic enforcement priorities with an emphasis on prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime. Across this region, the most damaging and horrific crimes are committed by a relatively small number of particularly violent individuals. This strategic enforcement approach is expected to increase the number of arrests, prosecutions and convictions of recidivists engaged in the most dangerous conduct. It is designed to improve public safety across the region by targeting crimes involving illicit guns, prohibited persons possessing firearms, or robbery crews that cause havoc and extensive losses to retail establishments.

The FBI, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Justice Bureau of Gambling Control, and the Montebello Police Department are investigating this matter.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Jena A. MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.