In a statement that epitomizes the swift hand of justice, George Arizon, the so-called 'Corona Bandit', was handed a 12-year sentence for a series of armed robberies that terrorized Orange County. United States District Judge Cormac J. Carney didn't hesitate on Monday to slap the 28-year-old robber from Riverside County with a hefty prison term along with a restitution fine, amounting to $3,658, the very sum he snatched throughout his brief but audacious criminal rampage.
According to justice officials, Arizon's crime spree spanned two chaotic days in late 2022 where he targeted ten establishments, including restaurants, and a hair salon, culminating in his tenth heist at a 7-Eleven in Westminster, where armed with a semi-automatic handgun. He threatened an employee for a measly score of $80 and cigarettes, showing that desperation and recklessness often walk hand in hand. Arizona fessed up to the robbery spree back in August, pleading guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery under the Hobbs Act and another for brandishing a firearm in the commission of violence.
The trove of evidence, including security footage, a masked outfit, and a distinctive black handgun with a gold barrel, all discarded near the scene, sealed his fate, leading to Arizon's downfall. Court documents revealed that Arizon didn't just rely on the stolen money. Police found an arsenal at his residence, which included another firearm, ammunition, high-capacity magazines, spent shell casings, and drugs, "repeatedly pointed a ghost gun at victims to force them to hand over the stores’ money," prosecutors highlighted in a sentencing memorandum.
Arizon's reign of terror may have been brief, but the response by law enforcement was anything but, as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Orange County Violent Crime Task Force spearheaded the investigation with support from the Santa Ana Police Department, Garden Grove Police Department, and the Westminster Police Department, their swift action proved pivotal in capturing the brazen outlaw. Assistant United States Attorney Jena A. MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section took the helm in prosecuting this case, proving once again that Orange County will not stand idle while its citizens fall prey to the whims of armed bandits.
For further details on this case, Ciaran McEvoy, Public Information Officer, can be reached at [email protected] or by ringing (213) 894-4465.
