Two South Los Angeles men accused of committing at least six armed follow-home robberies and an attempted carjacking throughout Southern California appeared in Santa Ana federal court for the first time Friday.
Elijah Potts, 20, and Devin Thomas, 18, were arrested Thursday, Oct. 30 on a federal criminal complaint charging them with interference with commerce by robbery — known as a Hobbs Act crime — and use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The defendants are accused of following victims — who were out shopping — to their homes, then robbing them at gunpoint.
Both defendants made their initial court appearances Friday but did not enter a plea. Thomas has a detention hearing scheduled Monday and Potts was ordered to remain in custody without bond, prosecutors said.
Court papers show that in the Sherman Oaks case, a man and his family were robbed at gunpoint outside their home on the afternoon of Sept. 3 after allegedly being “stalked and scouted” by Potts and Thomas while shopping at the Westfield Fashion Square mall.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office contends that the investigation revealed the defendants on surveillance video following the family at the mall, and their phones showed pings in the vicinity of the robbery at the time of the crime.
Federal prosecutors allege the pair are responsible for armed robberies in Norwalk, Sherman Oaks, Bellflower, Glendale, Valley Village and Artesia, and one attempted armed carjacking in Newport Beach, between Aug. 31 and Sept. 19.
If convicted as charged, Potts and Thomas face sentences between seven years and life in prison, prosecutors said.
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