Three Los Angeles County residents have been arrested and charged for a series of armed robberies at chain pharmacies. The robberies, believed to have occurred between August 9 and September 19, targeted Rite Aid and Walgreens stores in the Central District of California, as declared by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Makai Yusef Sanders, Kenyatta Kamar Jones, both 22 of Hawthorne, along a series of crimes, Diavion Deshawna Mouton, 22, from Carson were charged with Hobbs Act robbery and firearm usage during a crime of violence. Allegedly, Mouton was the getaway driver while Sanders and Jones committed the robberies, often near closing time, and often stole victims' cellphones. They would then force staff to yield money from the store safes, as indicated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
One incident on September 19 detailed two suspects, concealed by black masks, one which had a red logo, entering a Glendale Walgreens. They robbed a customer of their iPhone at gunpoint before commanding a store employee to direct them to the safe. Notably, when one unlock to safe robber became distracted, the employee secured herself in the staff office and dialed 911. The robbers fled with around $776 and four iPhones from victimized store-goers.
Utilizing phone records and GPS data, law enforcement was able to locate and to arrest the suspects on September 26. At their capture site, Sanders and Jones allegedly held handguns matching those used in the robberies. Additionally, items of clothing, including a black mask with a red emblem, aligned with those worn during the incidents were also found.
The consequences of the charges, if proven, could result in up to 20 years in federal prison for the Hobbs Act robbery and a potential life sentence for the firearm charge. The investigation is being led by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Jena A. MacCabe, with backing from the FBI, various police departments, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
