LOS ANGELES
A South Bay man has been indicted on federal criminal charges alleging he committed a five-day armed robbery spree of nearly a dozen Los Angeles-area businesses, including four donut shops and the attempted robbery of a veterinarian’s office, officials announced Wednesday.
Justin Washington, 32, of Gardena, was named in a 14-count federal grand jury indictment returned Tuesday.
He is charged with 11 counts of Hobbs Act robbery and three counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence. Washington’s arraignment is expected in the coming weeks.
He is currently in custody on separate state charges.
According to the indictment, between November 30 and December 4, 2020, Washington robbed and attempted to rob 10 businesses in the South Bay and in South Los Angeles.
His alleged robbery spree began at the same Gardena grocery store, robbed on consecutive days on November 30 and December 1.
From there, in Gardena, Washington allegedly robbed a 7-Eleven store, a donut shop and attempted to rob a veterinarian’s office.
He allegedly then went on to rob a donut shop in Torrance, and, in South Los Angeles, a wireless phone store, a dry cleaner business, two additional donut shops and a Baskin-Robbins ice cream store.
During the robberies, Washington allegedly held the stores’ employees against their will, including, as charged in three counts, at gunpoint, officials stated.
The total loss alleged in the indictment is approximately $5,679.
Washington is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. If convicted of the charges, he is facing up to life in prison.