South Gate men targeted casino winners in more than a dozen highway robberies, feds say

Two South Gate men scouted out victims in Los Angeles County casinos, searching for winners they later ambushed in more than a dozen highway robberies, according to an indictment unsealed Friday.

Juan Gabriel Gonzalez, 22, and Dereck Nathan Lopez, 21, followed victims’ vehicles from casinos, ambushed them, pulled guns, smashed car windows and demanded money or chips, according to the indictment.

In 2023, Lopez, Gonzalez and other conspirators allegedly robbed and attempted to rob people leaving casinos on at least 15 occasions, including three on a single night. The two South Gate men stole at least $274,600 in cash, casino chips and other property, according to the indictment.

Both men are charged with multiple counts of interference and attempted interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), one count of Hobbs Act conspiracy and multiple counts of using firearms during a crime of violence, according to the U.S. attorney’s office in L.A. Lopez has also been charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.

Gonzalez will make his initial appearance in court Friday. Lopez is in state custody and expected to appear in federal court in the coming weeks. Gonzalez’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment; it is unclear whether Lopez has an attorney.

From May through December 2023, the men allegedly targeted gamblers at Parkwest Bicycle Casino in Bell Gardens; Hustler Casino in Gardena; The Commerce Casino & Hotel in Commerce; and The Gardens Casino in Hawaiian Gardens.

According to the 10-count indictment, Lopez, Gonzalez and other conspirators would enter casinos using driver’s licenses in other people’s names and would target Asian victims who appeared to win or cash in a large number of chips.

A photo from a surveillance camera inside the Commerce Casino & Hotel, defendant Dereck Nathan Lopez gambling with a victim whom he allegedly later helped rob.

(U.S. District Court)

On May 13, 2023, Lopez allegedly told co-conspirators about a victim — identified as Y.W. — who had a substantial amount of money in casino chips. After Y.W. drove off from the Parkwest Bicycle Casino, Lopez’s conspirators forced Y.W. to stop the car on an Interstate 710 off-ramp and stole around $60,000 in winnings.

The following month, on June 17, Lopez, Gonzalez and other conspirators allegedly followed two other victims from that same casino, forcing them to stop their car at the Interstate 710 off ramp to Florence Avenue by boxing them in, according to the indictment. Prosecutors allege that the conspirators pulled guns and took around $130,000 that the victims had cashed out from the casino.

Prosecutors also allege that five months later, inside the Commerce Casino & Hotel, Lopez gambled with a victim — identified as H.K. — placing the same bets and even high-fiving her to celebrate a victorious bet.

Later that night, Lopez allegedly followed H.K.’s vehicle and conspirators blocked the victim in at the Interstate 10 off-ramp to Normandie Avenue. The conspirators pulled guns and made off with around $21,000 in cash.

Lopez is also charged with being a felon in possession of three firearms and more than 30 rounds of ammunition found at his home in December 2023, according to the U.S. attorney’s office in L.A. Lopez has a conviction for grand theft in November 2023.

If convicted of the federal charges, Gonzalez and Lopez would face up to life in prison.