A brazen armed robbery spree across Southern California has led to federal charges for a North Hollywood man and his two alleged accomplices, the Justice Department announced yesterday. Antonio Bland, 34, faces a count of attempted interference with commerce by robbery following his participation in what authorities describe as a two-week crime wave targeting a total of a dozen businesses.
The crime spree, which terrorized employees late at night, was brought to a halt when an employee at a Downey donut shop fired a shot at the assailants on February 14. Bland, who had been in state custody before this week, was denied bail at his initial federal court appearance in Los Angeles. His arraignment is slated for June 10, rising tensions in the community about the ongoing threat of gun violence.
Ronnie Tucker, 22, of Long Beach, and Abigail Luckey, 49, of North Hollywood, are also charged with attempted Hobbs Act robbery. Luckey, identified as the alleged getaway driver in the string of robberies, is currently on the run after failing to appear in court, with authorities considering her a fugitive.
"We've seen too much violent gun crime in our community and it has to stop," United States Attorney Martin Estrada emphasized. The suspects, often wearing hooded sweatshirts and face masks, would boldly enter businesses, with a getaway car waiting to whisk them away post-robbery, according to authorities. This series of offenses reverberates through the very fabric of our communal peace, underscoring these violent acts not just as thefts but as genuine threats to collective security and well-being.
The federal complaints detail a series of armed robberies beginning January 29 and ending with the attempted robbery in Downey. The affidavit filed May 13 reveals that Bland and his crew targeted various 7-Eleven stores and a smoke shop, among others. When Bland finally met resistance in the form of a donut shop employee's firearm, law enforcement was able to apprehend the suspects and recover a weapon from their vehicle.
"Mr. Bland and others went on a mission to violently rob employees of small businesses in and around Los Angeles," said Krysti Hawkins of the FBI. The FBI and local police departments, including Burbank, Tustin, Torrance, Long Beach, Glendale, Pasadena, Los Angeles, and Downey, are investigating, with assistance from the United States Attorney's Office.
If convicted on the federal charges, Bland and his co-defendants could each face up to 20 years in federal prison. The ongoing Operation Safe Cities initiative, which targets the most significant drivers of violent crime, particularly those involving illicit guns or robbery crews, may be responsible for the increased scrutiny and prosecution leading to this recent charge.
