Two South Gate men have admitted in federal court that they turned Los Angeles freeways into their own robbery route, trailing winning gamblers from local card rooms and ambushing them in traffic. Prosecutors say the pair pulled off a run of robberies and attempted robberies in 2023, stripping victims of cash, casino chips and other valuables. Their guilty pleas on Thursday cap a federal investigation launched after an indictment was unsealed last year.
How prosecutors say the scheme worked
According to prosecutors, the defendants entered casinos under fake names, zeroed in on players who cashed out large sums, then tailed those freshly flush gamblers as they left. Authorities allege the men and their associates boxed in victims’ cars on freeway ramps and surface streets, shattered windows and demanded money or chips at gunpoint. The indictment says this playbook unfolded at least 15 times across Los Angeles County between May and December 2023, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California.
Plea, custody and the deal
Dereck Nathan Lopez, 22, and Juan Gabriel Gonzalez, 23, each pleaded guilty to a single count of interference with commerce under the Hobbs Act and have been in federal custody since May. Under plea agreements reported by local outlets, both men agreed to serve 14 years in federal prison and are scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 13, 2026. The negotiated terms and timeline were detailed by CBS Los Angeles.
Indictment spelled out earlier episodes and evidence
The indictment unsealed in May 2025 charged Lopez and Gonzalez with Hobbs Act conspiracy and multiple firearms counts, and laid out the surveillance footage, witness accounts and physical evidence investigators said tied them to the crimes. In one case, prosecutors told investigators that co-conspirators blocked in a victim and stole $21,000 less than an hour after that person was spotted on casino video. In another, the group allegedly made off with about $130,000 in winnings, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California.
Hustler Casino stop singled out by prosecutors
One episode drew particular attention from prosecutors. On Oct. 26, 2023, at Gardena’s Hustler Casino, the defendants allegedly watched a man cash out $11,000 in chips, then followed him out of the card room. On a 110 Freeway on-ramp, they are accused of stopping his car and taking $1,050 in cash along with golf clubs worth roughly $5,000. The men ultimately admitted to stealing at least $274,600 in cash, casino chips and other property over the course of the scheme, according to CBS Los Angeles.
Legal context
The Hobbs Act, 18 U.S.C. §1951, is the statute behind the guilty plea and allows for sentences of up to 20 years in prison for interference with commerce by robbery. Separate federal laws governing the possession or use of firearms during crimes of violence can carry mandatory, consecutive prison terms that significantly increase potential punishment in multi-count cases. See Law.cornell.edu for 18 U.S.C. §1951 and Law.cornell.edu for 18 U.S.C. §924 for the statutory language and penalty provisions.
Federal agencies including the FBI and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department worked with local police and the California Bureau of Gambling Control on the case, which prosecutors say cut short a months long highway robbery ring. Lopez and Gonzalez are scheduled to return to federal court for sentencing on Aug. 13, where victims will be allowed to submit statements for the judge to review before final prison terms are imposed.
