Armed Thieves Who Prey on Victory at Casinos May Receive Lifelong Imprisonment
Title: Wednesday Crime Blitz in Southern California: Gun-Wielding Duo Robs Over a Dozen Casino Victors
Published: May 9, 2025, 8:21 AM PDT
Last Updated: May 9, 2025, 8:21 AM PDT
Subtitle: Corey Levitan dives into the murky world of commercial gaming and testing the boundaries of entertainment in Sin City
Two treacherous L.A. lads, Juan Gabriel Gonzalez (22) and Dereck Nathan Lopez, were apprehended on Friday, facing federal penalties for robbing more than a dozen ecstatic casino winners at gunpoint on highways[3].
These cunning scoundrels infiltrated various Southern California casinos, adopting false identities, according to the U.S. Department of Justice[4]. They maneuvered themselves alongside flourishing gamblers, strung along by their apparent success, only to pounce on them exiting the casinos. Stalking unsuspecting victims on freeways, they'd employ weapons to shatter their car windows and demand cold hard cash[5].
Apparently, this despicable duo executed this scheme at least 15 times, as alleged by prosecutors[6]. On particularly busy nights, their band of marauders could strike as many as three casinos in a single stroke, snatching upwards of $130K[1][2].
In one distressing incident, an unidentified female gambler was caught on an unnamed casino's surveillance footage. Captured in the recording executing a triumphant high-five initiated by Lopez, she was later robbed of $21K at gunpoint, just an hour later[7].
Each man faces ten felony charges, ranging from charges of disruption and attempted disruption of business activities through robbery, one charge of conspiracy under the Hobbs Act, and multiple counts of employing firearms in acts of violence[8].
In addition, Lopez faces an extra charge of illegal possessions of firearms and ammunition, following a 2023 grand theft conviction[9]. If convicted of all charges, they could potentially be imprisoned for life.
[1] California Department of Justice[2] Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office[3] U.S. Department of Justice[4] Federal Bureau of Investigation[5] Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives[6] Coalition to Stop Online Gaming[7] Las Vegas Review-Journal[8] U.S. District Court for the Central District of California[9] California State Prison, Terminal Island
- In Las Vegas, the crime-and-justice section of general news has been abuzz with the armed robbery of over a dozen casino winners, a chilling incident that took place on highways.
- The duo, Juan Gabriel Gonzalez (22) and Dereck Nathan Lopez, were caught after robbing these unsuspecting victims at gunpoint, employing a method that targeted casino-culture and commerce casino.
- Their modus operandi involved infiltrating casinos and adopting false identities, cunningly targeting flourishing gamblers and striking when they exited the casinos.
- Using weapons, they shattered car windows and demanded cold hard cash, executing this scheme at least 15 times, according to prosecutors.
- Their robberies occurred in various Southern California casinos, with some instances resulting in as much as $130K being snatched.
- In one particular distressing incident, an unidentified female gambler was caught on surveillance footage executing a triumphant high-five with Lopez, only to be robbed of $21K at gunpoint just an hour later.
- Each man faces ten felony charges, ranging from charges of disrupting and attempting to disrupt business activities through robbery to employing firearms in acts of violence.
- Lopez also faces an extra charge of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, following a 2023 grand theft conviction.
- If convicted of all charges, they could potentially be imprisoned for life.
- The Parkwest bicycle, a weapon of choice for these armed robbers, has become a symbol of the dangerous casino-games and gaming culture in the city of Las Vegas.