Two South Gate Men Charged with Over Dozen Armed Highway Robberies Targeting Casino Gamblers

Juan Gabriel Gonzalez, 22, and Dereck Nathan Lopez, 21, face federal charges for orchestrating more than a dozen armed highway robberies targeting casino gamblers in Southern California. The pair allegedly used false identities to scout casino winners, then followed and ambushed them on freeways, brandishing firearms, smashing car windows, and stealing cash and chips. These crimes, committed with co-conspirators on at least 15 occasions, included a spree of three robberies in a single night and resulted in thefts totaling over $274,600. Lopez, who was convicted of grand theft in 2023 and is prohibited from possessing firearms, was found with three firearms and ammunition at his home, adding charges of felon in possession. Notably, surveillance footage showed Lopez celebrating a victim's casino win just before robbing her of $21,000. Both men face multiple counts under the Hobbs Act, and if convicted, could receive life sentences, reflecting federal efforts under Operation Safe Cities to reduce violent crime.