LOS ANGELES
An Arizona man was charged Monday in a federal criminal complaint alleging he robbed ten stores in Southern California and Arizona, officials stated.
During a three-week crime spree that ended in a high-speed chase in which he fired upon federal agents, and after police rammed his car, he accidentally shot himself under his chin.
Samuel Sven Smith, 26, of Phoenix, was arrested on August 20 at the conclusion of a high-speed chase after he allegedly robbed a PetSmart store in Rancho Cucamonga.
In a criminal complaint filed today, Smith was charged with interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and assault on a federal officer.
Smith is in a hospital, recovering from his injuries.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Smith, armed with a gun, robbed ten businesses – nine of them PetSmart stores – beginning on July 31 and ending on August 20.
The total loss to the stores was approximately $7,091, according to the affidavit.
The targeted stores were a Big Lots store in Riverside and PetSmart stores in Signal Hill, Orange, San Bernardino, Fontana, Pico Rivera, Redlands, Huntington Beach, Phoenix, and Rancho Cucamonga.
During the armed robbery spree, Smith allegedly used a distinct black handbag with pink trim during the robberies and pointed a black handgun at store employees at the cash register.
On August 20, Smith allegedly robbed a PetSmart store in Rancho Cucamonga, but noticed law enforcement approaching him.
Smith opened the driver’s side door of his car and fire at least two rounds at the unmarked vehicle for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which was struck by gunfire. An officer in another vehicle then returned fire.
Smith then entered his car and fled at a high rate of speed for approximately 20 minutes through several different cities. During this pursuit, Smith allegedly fired several rounds at the law enforcement officers pursuing him.
The pursuit ended when law enforcement rammed their vehicle into Smith’s car. When law enforcement approached Smith’s car, they determined he had suffered a gunshot wound underneath his chin.
Smith told officers performing life-saving measures that when they rammed into his vehicle, he accidentally shot himself, officials stated.
At the time of his arrest, Smith was still wearing the same clothing that he wore during the robbery, including the ski mask. In the passenger seat, law enforcement recovered the firearm.
On the floorboard of the driver’s seat, law enforcement recovered several rounds of live ammunition.
Smith is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
If convicted of all charges, Smith would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison on the Hobbs Act robbery count, seven years in federal prison for the firearm brandishing count, and 20 years in federal prison for assaulting a federal officer count.
The ATF Orange County Violent Crime Task Force is investigating this matter.
The task force, which is responsible for investigating serial robberies around Southern California, is comprised of the ATF; the Brea Police Department; the Fullerton Police Department; the Santa Ana Police Department; and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky and Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.