Robbers Who Targeted Casino Winners Arrested

A pair of Los Angeles men have decided to try their luck at casinos around town, not by playing the slots or trying to count cards at blackjack specifically, no, but by catching up to casino winners and holding them at gunpoint on the highway, forcing them to forfeit their winnings.

Brazen Series of Robberies Results in Culprits’ Arrests

Dozens of people have been targeted in the wantonly violent scheme, which saw Juan Gabriel Gonzalez, 22, and Dereck Nathan Lopez scour the Southern California area for casino winners in what was a well-thought-through and ultimately executed plan.

The pair would approach gamblers who were on a winning streak and camouflage themselves as innocent onlookers who are a common sight in casinos – after all, people love to cheer winners on and feel a part of the action.

Yet Gonazlez and Lopez had a nefarious motif, befriending gamblers and then following them around. They have been able to pull this brutal scheme more than 15 times and are said to have stolen a total of $130,000.

In one instance, the pair assaulted a woman and parted her from $21,000. The assaults mostly took place on highways, with the pair choosing secluded places to avoid other people getting in the way and having leeway when robbing people.

The men are now facing 10 felony charges each, as well as multiple counts of interference and attempted interference with commerce by robbery, and more. The pair is said to have robbed three people on a single night on one occasion.

They would not only be after the money but also take chips off their victims that they could later cash in themselves.