HOLLYWOOD HILLS—On Tuesday, July 23, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that four suspects were arrested on a nine-count indictment charging them with committing armed robberies of several businesses – primarily 7-Eleven stores in South Los Angeles – during a nearly two-month crime spree in 2023 which they allegedly posted photographs on Instagram of themselves holding stolen cash.
The indictment, returned July 10, 2024, and unsealed on July 23, with charges for the following defendants with one count of conspiracy to interference with commerce by robbery and one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act):
-Charles Christopher, 24, of Compton;
-D’Angelo Spencer, 26, of South Los Angeles;
-Jordan Leonard, 25, of Torrance; and
-Tazjar Rouse, 22, of Hollywood.
The defendants were charged with various counts of Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Christopher and Leonard were arraigned in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles and were ordered jailed without bond. They pleaded not guilty to the charges against them and a September 17, 2024 trial was scheduled. Rouse made his initial appearance in federal court in Kansas City, Missouri on July 23. Spencer is expected to be arraigned in federal court in Los Angeles, July 24.
“Violent gun crime leaves lasting emotional and psychological scars for victims,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Anyone thinking that violent robberies are a good way to make money should take note that there will be consequences for your actions.”
According to the indictment, from November 4, 2023, to December 24, 2023, the defendants committed a series of armed robberies in South Los Angeles. One victimized store was a CVS in Hollywood. The defendants traveled to the targeted stores in a BMW, jumped over the counters, took money from the stores’ cash registers, and placed the money into a black Nike bag. One of the defendants – usually either Christopher or Leonard – allegedly pointed a firearm at a store employee or customer and demanded either their cellphone or their wallet.
On November 28, 2023, following the robbery of a 7-Eleven store in South Los Angeles earlier that day, Leonard posted a photograph on Instagram with stacks of cash, captioned his post “love my bros we go hit every time,” and tagged the Instagram accounts of Christopher and Spencer, the indictment alleges.
In total, the defendants allegedly netted approximately $7,617 in cash during the crime spree. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each Hobbs Act-related count and – for each firearm brandishing count – a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Operation Safe Cities establishes strategic enforcement priorities with an emphasis on prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime. It is designed to improve public safety across the region by targeting crimes involving illicit guns, prohibited persons possessing firearms, or robbery crews that cause havoc and extensive losses to retail establishments. The FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating the case.
By Trevor