Two South Gate men searched victims at a Los Angeles County casino in search of the winner, and they were later robbed by more than a dozen highways, according to Friday’s indictment.
Juan Gabriel Gonzalez, 22, and Dereck Nathan Lopez, 21, followed the casino victims' vehicles, ambushed, ambushed, pulled guns, smashed car windows and demanded money or chips, the indictment said.
In 2023, Lopez, Gonzalez and other accomplices allegedly robbed and tried to rob people from the casino with at least 15 times, including three nights. According to the indictment, the two South Gate men stole at least $274,600 in cash, casino chips and other property.
Both men are charged with multiple counts of interfering and attempting to interfere with the robbery (Hobbs Act), one count in the Hobbs Act and multiple counts of using a firearm in a violent crime.
Gonzalez will make his first appearance in court on Friday. Lopez is detained in state custody and is expected to appear in federal court in the coming weeks. Gonzalez's attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment; it is unclear whether Lopez has an attorney.
From Parkwest Bicycle Casino in Bell Gardens, these people targeted gamblers from May 2023 to December 2023. Hustler Casino in Gardena; commercial and commercial hotels; and garden casino in Hawaii Gardens.
According to 10 indictments, Lopez, Gonzalez and other conspirators will use their driver's license to enter the casino using their driver's licenses and target Asian victims who appear to win or cash in a large amount of chips.
Photos of surveillance cameras in commercial casinos and hotels, defendant Dereck Nathan Lopez gambling with the victim, who allegedly helped Rob later.
(U.S. District Court)
On May 13, 2023, Lopez told a conspirator about a victim (determined as YW) who had a lot of money in the casino chips. After YW drove from Parkwest Bike Casino, Lopez's conspirators forced YW to stop on Interstate 710 and stole about $60,000 in bonuses.
In the second month, on June 17, Lopez, Gonzalez and other conspirators allegedly followed two other victims from the same casino, forcing them to park on Interstate 710 on Interstate 710 on Interstate 710 toward Florence Street, according to the indictment. Prosecutors claimed the conspirators picked up the gun and took about $130,000 cashed from the victims from the casino.
Prosecutors also claimed that five months later, in commercial casinos and hotels, Lopez gambled with the victim (determined as Hong Kong) – put down the same bet and even beat her to celebrate the victory bet.
Later that night, conspirators allegedly stopped the victims on Interstate 10 on Interstate 10 on Normandy Avenue. The conspirator picked up the gun and made money with about $21,000 in cash.
Lopez is also charged with being a felony who found more than 30 rounds of ammunition at his home in December 2023, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Gonzalez and Lopez will face life in prison if convicted of federal charges.
