LA Robbery Crew That Posted Exploits On Instagram Pleads Guilty

LOS ANGELES, CA — A Los Angeles man pleaded guilty Monday for his role in a series of armed robberies targeting a CVS store and several 7-Eleven stores across Los Angeles County.

D'Angelo Spencer, 27, of South Los Angeles, is the third member of his robbery crew to plead guilty to the two-month crime spree, according to the United States Justice Department.

According to the indictment, the crew pulled up to stores in a BMW jumped over the counters, took money from the cash registers, and placed the money into a black Nike bag. The brazen crew even posted about the robberies on Instagram, according to prosecutors.

Specifically, Spencer, 27, pleaded to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and interference with commerce by robbery, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, according to the justice department.

“Violent gun crime leaves lasting emotional and psychological scars for victims,” former United States Attorney Martin Estrada said when the indictment was unsealed in July. “Anyone thinking that violent robberies are a good way to make money should take note that there will be consequences for your actions.”

According to the indictment, the crime spree began November 4, 2023 and continued to December 24, 2023. Also named in the indictment are Charles Christopher, 24, of Compton; Jordan Leonard, 25, of Torrance; and Tazjar Rouse, 22, of Hollywood.

"One of the defendants – usually either Christopher or Leonard – allegedly pointed a firearm at a store employee or customer and demand either their cellphone or their wallet," according to a statement by the United States

On November 28, 2023, following the robbery of a 7-Eleven store in South Los Angeles earlier that day, Leonard posted a photograph on Instagram with stacks of cash, captioned his post “love my bros we go hit every time,” and tagged the Instagram accounts of Christopher and Spencer, the indictment alleged.

In total, the defendants allegedly netted approximately $7,617 in cash during the crime spree.

Rouse and Leonard pleaded guilty last month to the Hobbs Act and firearm offenses, and are set to be sentenced in June. Christopher has agreed to plead guilty next month.

If convicted at trial, the defendants could have faced up to life imprisonment, according to prosecutors.

Sentencing was set for Aug. 25.

City News Service contributed to this report.