Two men pleaded guilty Thursday to committing more than a dozen armed robberies targeting casino winners in Southern California.
Derek Nathan Lopez, 22 and Juan Gabriel Gonzalez, 23, both of South Gate, pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery.
Federal prosecutors said the men entered casinos in Los Angeles County with fake identities to scout for victims who looked like winners or who were about to cash in their chips.
Lopez and Gonzalez, prosecutors said, would follow the victims and ambush them on the highway. The men would brandish firearms and smash car windows before demanding that the victim hand over the money.
According to their plea agreements, Lopez and Gonzalez admitted to committing at least 15 robberies and attempted robberies from May to December 2023. At least three occurred in the last month of their robbery spree.
The men targeted several casinos in the county, including the Hustler Casino, Parkwest Bicycle Casino and the Commerce Casino & Hotel, according to the plea agreements.
Federal prosecutors accused Lopez and Gonzalez of stealing $274,000 in cash, casino chips, designer bags, passports and other property.
Lopez and Gonzalez would admit that in June 2023, they stole $130,000 from two victims who had left the Parkwest Bicycle Casino, court records say. The suspects stopped the victims on the Florence Avenue on-ramp to the 710 Freeway in the city of Bell, according to the plea agreements.
In October 2023, Lopez and Gonzalez followed a man after he cashed out $11,000 in chips at the Hustler Casino in Gardena. The man was heading home when two men pulled him over on the 110 Freeway on-ramp from Redondo Beach Boulevard, according to the plea agreement.
Federal prosecutors alleged that the suspects held guns while standing on both sides of the car and demanded that the victim hand over the cash. They also ordered him to open the trunk, taking an additional $1,050 in cash and golf clubs worth $6,000.
In addition to taking responsibility for the robberies, federal prosecutors said Lopez admitted to illegally possessing three firearms and a little more than 30 rounds of ammunition that were found at his home in December 2023.
Prosecutors said Lopez was not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition because of his criminal history, which included a November 2023 grand theft conviction in San Bernardino County.
Lopez and Gonzalez are scheduled to be sentenced in August.
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