4 men accused of series of armed robberies in Los Angeles, posting stolen cash to Instagram
Four Los Angeles County men are facing federal charges in a series of armed robberies in which federal prosecutors allege they threatened people with a gun and posted photos of the stolen cash to Instagram.
The robberies targeted several businesses, most of them 7-Eleven stores in the South LA region, from Nov. 4 to Dec. 24 of last year, according to federal prosecutors. The suspects allegedly drove up to the businesses in a blue BMW, and once inside, jumped over the counters and stole money from the cash registers while one of the two defendants usually threatened a store employee or customer with a handgun, according to the federal indictment unsealed Tuesday.
If convicted of all charges, the defendants could face more than 20 years in prison, prosecutors said. Some of them accused of brandishing a firearm could face up to a life sentence for those charges. They allegedly stole about $7,617 in the heists.
Photos released by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California show stacks of cash the defendants allegedly posted to Instagram, showcasing what they stole. One photo features a gun behind some $100 and $20 bills while another shows a person handling a pile of crumpled $1 bills. One post reads "loading up," with a stack of cash in the background.
The four suspects identified by federal prosecutors, who are each facing one federal count of conspiracy to interference with commerce by robbery and one count of interfere with commerce by robbery, include:
- Charles Christopher, 24, of Compton
- Jordan Leonard, 25, of Torrance
- Tazjar Rouse, 22, of Hollywood
- D'Angelo Spencer, 26, of South Los Angeles.
According to federal prosecutors, one of the men would act as a getaway driver or a lookout, staying at the entrance of the business to see if anyone comes. In some cases, Christopher or Leonard allegedly flashed a two-tone semi-automatic handgun, the indictment states.
"Defendants Christopher and Leonard would sometimes brandish a firearm to frighten and control employees and customers inside the business being robbed," the indictment alleges.
In a statement, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Martin Estrada said the threatening of customers and workers made the alleged heists even worse, traumatizing the victims in the process.
"Violent gun crime leaves lasting emotional and psychological scars for victims," Estrada said. "Anyone thinking that violent robberies are a good way to make money should take note that there will be consequences for your actions."
The defendants carried out at least five different alleged heists, once targeting a 7-Eleven and a CVS drugstore the same day, federal prosecutors allege.
At the CVS, prosecutors say they jumped over the pharmacy counter and took prescription drugs off the shelves before piling them into a black trash bag and a Nike bag. The stole about $2,130 in medications, according to the indictment.
The next day, prosecutors allege, Rouse made Instagram posts advertising the stolen drugs. "I got syrup," he allegedly wrote in one message to another user.
Prosecutors said they often posted to Instagram what they stole, with Leonard once allegedly posting a stack of cash with the caption, "love my bros we go hit every time," tagging the Instagram accounts of co-defendants, Christopher and Spencer.
In addition to the other federal charges, the defendants also face varying counts of robbery as violations of the Hobbs Act and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, according to prosecutors. Each Hobbs Act-related charge carries a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison.
On Tuesday, Christopher and Leonard pleaded not guilty in a federal court in downtown Los Angeles and were ordered to be held without bond, prosecutors said. They have been scheduled for trial on Sept. 17.
Spencer was expected to appear in federal court in downtown LA Wednesday while Rouse appeared in court in Kansas City, Missouri on Tuesday.
