A Gardena man who went on a violent crime binge just weeks after his release from prison has been slapped with a 27-year federal sentence for a spree of armed robberies, as announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Justin Washington, 34, already serving a hefty state sentence for murder, received his latest punishment for a series of hold-ups that terrorized local businesses across Los Angeles County.
After his parole for a previous armed robbery conviction, Washington turned the South Bay and South Los Angeles regions into his hunting ground between November 30 and December 4, 2020, robbing a grocery store twice, a veterinarian's office, several donut shops, a phone store, a dry cleaner and an ice cream parlor, during which he brandished a firearm, inflicted bodily harm, and on one occasion nearly killed a donut shop employee by attempting to shoot the gun after pistol-whipping them.
According to a statement by the Department of Justice, Washington's reign of terror resulted in him pocketing $9,019 in cash and valuables before his arrest. United States District Judge Percy Anderson also mandated Washington to pay restitution and a special assessment, cumulating in monetary amends of $10,119. The case, emblematic of the relentless cycle of recidivism, was a result of a collaborative effort by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and ATF.
United States Attorney Martin Estrada gave his verdict on Washington's crime wave, stating, "This defendant was a walking crime spree and fully deserving of a major federal prison sentence," – a sentiment echoed by FBI Assistant Director Donald Alway, who emphasized the lasting impact on the victims and the commitment to holding violent criminals accountable. The ATF's point man in Los Angeles, Michael Hoffman, highlighted the focused strategy on career offenders by revealing the startling statistic that the average ATF defendant has numerous prior arrests and convictions.
The investigation was a combined effort by federal and local agencies, including the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Los Angeles Police Department, illustrating the intertwined nature of law enforcement in addressing persistent criminality. Assistant United States Attorney Sara Vargas, from the Violent and Organized Crime Section, pursued the prosecution of this case which has now concluded with Washington's extended stay behind bars, forcibly pausing his life of crime.
