Four Los Angeles County men were arrested Tuesday in connection with a string of armed robberies at 7-Eleven stores and a CVS last year, which they allegedly posted about on Instagram.
In an indictment unsealed Tuesday, federal prosecutors said Charles Christopher, 24, of Compton; D’Angelo Spencer, 26, of South Los Angeles; Jordan Leonard, 25, of Torrance; and Tazjar Rouse, 22, of Hollywood committed multiple armed robberies between Nov. 4 and Dec. 24.
Christopher and Leonard pleaded not guilty Tuesday in federal court in Los Angeles and were sentenced to prison without the possibility of bail. Their trial is scheduled for Sept. 17.
Rouse appeared in federal court in Kansas City, Missouri, on Tuesday, and Spencer is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
The indictment details the alleged thefts.
While at least one member of the group stayed outside to act as a lookout or drive away, the indictment said, the others would enter the stores during business hours, jump over counters and take money from cash registers, which they stuffed into a black Nike bag. During the robberies, prosecutors said, one of the defendants, usually Christopher or Leonard, would point a gun at a store employee or customer and demand their cellphone or wallet.
The indictment also alleges that the men made several Instagram posts after the robberies that showed cash or property consistent with what was stolen from the stores, and that showed them wearing clothing and carrying a weapon that appeared to be identical to those seen in surveillance video during the crimes.
On Nov. 4, according to the indictment, Spencer, Christopher and two other men drove into a South Los Angeles 7-Eleven in a blue BMW and fled with $2,495.
Hours later, Spencer’s Instagram account showed him next to a pile of cash, wearing black clothing and a black ski mask that matched the description of clothing worn by a suspect during the robbery.
On November 28, the indictment alleges that Christopher, Spencer and at least one other person stole money and a cellphone from an employee at a 7-Eleven store in South Los Angeles.
Later that day, Spencer’s Instagram account featured several photos of wads of cash. Leonard’s account also featured a photo of cash with the caption, “I love my homies, we hit each other every time,” while tagging Christopher and Spencer’s Instagram accounts, according to the indictment.
Two nights later, Leonard posted a video on Instagram showing a man’s hand holding money next to a Smith & Wesson semi-automatic pistol.
The gun in the video appears to be the same model, finish and manufacturer as the one captured in surveillance video during the 7-Eleven robberies on Nov. 28, Dec. 11 and Dec. 24, according to an affidavit released with the indictment.
On Dec. 11, according to the indictment, Christopher, Leonard and Rouse entered a CVS in Hollywood, jumped over counters and stole money and prescription drugs from the shelves.
The next day, Rouse allegedly posted several Instagram posts advertising medications for sale and sent a direct message to another user stating, “I got some syrup.”
On December 19, Spencer posted a video on Instagram showing a group of men standing near a group of medication bottles and a black plastic trash bag.
“The prescription medication bottles were identical to the property stolen in the CVS robbery; the black trash bag matched the one used to store the medication stolen in the CVS robbery; and the clothing worn by the individuals depicted was identical to that worn by the suspects during the crime,” LAPD Officer James A. Douglas wrote in an affidavit.
In total, the men allegedly stole $7,617 in cash, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
