A Downey man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on Monday for committing four armed robberies of GameStop stores throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties, stealing more than $132,000 in merchandise and cash, officials said.
Frederick Lopez Jr., 28, robbed GameStop video game stores between August 2018 and October 2018 in Lynwood, Rowland Heights, West Covina and Brea, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. He was sentenced Monday to 120 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $132,300 in restitution, officials said.
During the robberies, Lopez entered the stores at night, pulled a handgun from his waistband and used it to threaten store employees, officials said. He would then order the employees to load game consoles and video games into store bags.
Last August, Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Lopez, who was arrested in March, was sometimes accompanied by another suspect, according to officials.
During a robbery in West Covina on Oct. 24, 2018, Lopez and his accomplice ordered employees into the store’s back room, demanded their cell phones and destroyed the store’s phone. Lopez then ordered one of the clerk’s to help carry stolen items outside to a nearby minivan, according to officials. He had a .40-caliber handgun during the robbery, officials said.
Lopez stole $131,000 in merchandise and $1,300 in cash during the four robberies, officials said.
