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Two Southgate men were charged Friday after federal authorities announced Friday that they were accused of targeting gamblers at a casino in Southern California and ambushing them on a local highway.
The US lawyers’ office claimed that Juan Gonzalez and Derek Lopez used fake names to visit local casinos and made friends with gamblers who apparently win or have many chips. They then forced the victims out of the casino and ambushed them on the highway before using weapons to crush the victim’s car windows and demand money, the Justice Department said.
On a busy night, the two men and their conspirators attacked three casinos and stole $130,000.
Federal agents believed the man committed the crime on at least 15 different occasions.
“Before one incident, Lopez is seen on casino surveillance video celebrating a gambling victory with the victim. Authorities allegedly claimed that the suspect had stole $21,000 in cash from the female victim.
Gonzalez, 22, and Lopez, 21, faced 10 count felony charges, including counting multiple interference and attempts to interfere in commercial by robbery.
Lopez, convicted of grand theft in San Bernardino County in November 2023, faced additional charges as felons are not legally permitted to have firearms or ammunition. Investigators said when they looked into his home in December 2023, just a month after his grand theft conviction, he said his home had three firearms and more than 30 rounds of ammunition.
If convicted of all charges, each man will face the maximum statutory sentence in federal prison.
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