4 Los Angeles County males had been arrested Tuesday in reference to a collection of armed robberies of 7-Eleven shops and a CVS final 12 months that they later allegedly posted about on Instagram.
In an indictment unsealed Tuesday, federal prosecutors mentioned Charles Christopher, 24, of Compton; D’Angelo Spencer, 26, of South Los Angeles; Jordan Leonard, 25, of Torrance; and Tazjar Rouse, 22, of Hollywood dedicated a number of armed robberies between Nov. 4 and Dec. 24.
Christopher and Leonard pleaded not responsible Tuesday in U.S. District Court docket in downtown Los Angeles and had been ordered jailed with out bond. Their trial is scheduled for Sept. 17.
Rouse appeared Tuesday in federal court docket in Kansas Metropolis, Mo., and Spencer was anticipated to be arraigned in federal court docket in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
The indictment particulars the alleged robberies.
Whereas a minimum of one of many group would stay outdoors as a lookout or getaway driver, the indictment claims, the others entered the shops throughout enterprise hours, leaped over counters and took cash from the money registers that they stuffed right into a black Nike bag. Through the robberies, prosecutors allege, one defendant, normally Christopher or Leonard, pointed a gun at a retailer worker or buyer and demanded their cellphones or wallets.
The indictment additionally alleges that the boys made a number of Instagram posts following the robberies that depicted money or items matching these taken from the shops, and that confirmed them carrying garments and with a gun apparently similar to these seen in surveillance video throughout the crimes.
On Nov. 4, the indictment says, Spencer, Christopher and two different males traveled to a South Los Angeles 7-Eleven in a blue BMW and fled with $2,495.
Spencer’s Instagram account, hours later, confirmed him subsequent to a stack of money, carrying black garments and a black ski masks that matched the outline of the clothes worn by a suspect throughout the theft.
On Nov. 28, the indictment alleges, Christopher, Spencer and a minimum of one different individual stole money and an worker’s cellphone from a 7-Eleven retailer in South Los Angeles.
Later that day, Spencer’s Instagram confirmed a number of photographs of stacks of money. Leonard’s account additionally featured a photograph of money together with the caption “love my bros we go hit each time,” whereas tagging the Instagram accounts of Christopher and Spencer, in keeping with the indictment.
Two nights later, Leonard posted a video on Instagram of a person’s hand holding money subsequent to a Smith & Wesson semiautomatic pistol.
The gun within the video seemed to be the identical mannequin and end and from the identical producer because the one captured in surveillance video in 7-Eleven robberies on Nov. 28, Dec. 11 and Dec. 24, in keeping with an affidavit made public with the indictment.
On Dec. 11, the indictment says, Christopher, Leonard and Rouse entered a CVS in Hollywood, leaped over the counters and stole money and prescription medicine off the cabinets.
The subsequent day, Rouse allegedly made a number of Instagram posts promoting medicine on the market and despatched a direct message to a different consumer stating, “I received syrup.”
On Dec. 19, Spencer posted an Instagram video that confirmed a bunch of males standing close to a cluster of prescription bottles and a black plastic trash bag.
“The prescription medicine bottles had been similar to the property taken throughout the CVS theft; the black trash bag matched the one used to retailer the stolen medicine throughout the CVS theft; and the clothes worn by the depicted individuals was similar to that worn by suspects throughout the crime,” LAPD Officer James A. Douglas wrote in an affidavit.
All advised, the boys are alleged to have stolen $7,617 in money, the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace mentioned in an announcement.
