Two South Bay men and one Harbor-area woman are expected to appear today in Los Angeles federal court to face charges of allegedly committing 10 armed robberies of chain pharmacy stores in Southern California over a six-week span, sometimes assaulting and injuring customers and employees in the process.
The defendants are charged with Hobbs Act robbery--robbery affecting interstate commerce--and using and carrying a firearm in a crime of violence, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The trio -- Makai Yusef Sanders, 22, of Hawthorne; Kenyatta Kamar
Jones, 22, of Hawthorne; and Diavion Deshawna Mouton, 22, of Carson--are
expected to make their initial appearances today in Los Angeles
federal court.
According to court documents, the defendants allegedly committed 10 armed robberies between Aug. 9 and Sept. 19 at Rite Aid and Walgreens stores in
Long Beach, Bellflower, South Los Angeles, Pasadena, Whittier, Lakewood,
Monterey Park, Burbank, and Glendale.
Federal prosecutors said Mouton served as the driver while Sanders and Jones would rob the stores, usually about one hour before closing. They allegedly used handguns and would steal victims' cell phones, then go into the stores' offices and take money from safes, prosecutors said.