Suspect In L.A. Follow-Home Robberies Arrested And Released Repeatedly

LOS ANGELES, CA — An 18-year-old man suspected in a series of violent follow-home armed robberies was repeatedly arrested and released back onto the streets of Los Angeles, where he continued to terrorize people, Los Angeles police said Tuesday.

Matthew Adams was one of three men believed to be responsible for armed robberies targeting people leaving nice restaurants and clubs around Sunset Boulevard, Melrose Avenue and the Hollywood Hills, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Adams was arrested on suspicion of robbery and gun charges three times within two months. Police allege he committed multiple robberies within days of his brief stints in jail. On Tuesday, LAPD Chief Michel Moore held the case up as an indictment of Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón's refusal to add sentencing enhancements to charges.

"Today, we see that the use of enhancements has been sharply curtailed ... I believe that's inconsistent with the underlying importance of those enhancements as to deterring others from being engaged in serious violent felonies with the use of a firearm," Moore said during Tuesday's Police Commission meeting.

"While I appreciate the filings that have been obtained, I'm disappointed that the full weight of the existing laws and the support of our district attorney and the court to hold this individual responsible and accountable and keep him from the community was missed," he added. "When we see these individual cases where people are not being held accountable or they're being held accountable and they're being released on their own recognizance to have a court calendar four or five months from now, we see these types of instances."

A response from the DA's Office was not immediately available.

According to police, Adams was connected to at least four robberies including an early morning attack last month on two UCLA students, and multiple attacks targeting people leaving restaurants, hotels and clubs in Hollywood and West Hollywood.

Adams pleaded not guilty Monday to one felony count of first- degree residential robbery and six counts of second-degree robbery, along with allegations that he personally used a handgun in the commission of a Jan. 20 robbery.

The charges involve alleged crimes between Jan. 7 and March 30. Adams was arrested Jan. 9, Jan. 27, and Feb. 21. Each time he was released until his March 31 arrest during a traffic stop, according to the LAPD. He has remained behind bars since Thursday, according to jail records.

Adams is suspected in an attack on two UCLA students at about 2:25 a.m. March 30 in the 500 block of Bentley Avenue, according to the LAPD.

Adams and another male suspect allegedly approached the students outside a residence, with one alleged victim being struck on the head with a firearm as the suspects took two high-end watches and an iPhone totaling $145,000, police said.

Adams and an unidentified suspect are also accused of the Jan. 7 robbery of a man who was returning home from dining at a high-end restaurant in the 8700 block of Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood, and the Jan. 14 robbery of two men who were visiting the United States and were robbed of a high-end watch and other property as they walked toward their hotel from a nightclub in the 700 block of La Cienega Boulevard, according to police.

Adams also was allegedly among a group of men who confronted two male victims who had parked on Detroit Street, north of Sunset Boulevard, while they were waiting to pick up food on Jan. 20. The suspects fled in three separate vehicles after getting away with a watch, jewelry, cash and a purse, according to police.

Authorities arrested two other men Eric Wilson and Jayon Sparks, believed to be involved in the robbery ring with Adams.

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According to the LAPD, a search warrant of their apartment allegedly yielded weapons believed to be used in some of the robberies along with items stolen during the robberies.

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It's not the first time, police officials have blamed Gascón's policies for emboldening brazen criminals.

Gascón has been criticized for policies that many see as favoring criminals over victims, but he has repeatedly defended his policies, saying his stances were well-known during his 2020 campaign and his election signified public support for his reform agenda

He has defended directives on eliminating most sentencing enhancements, citing data on recidivism to back up his case, and pointing out that some crime victims support his changes.

"The pain and trauma of losing a loved one is immeasurable and I recognize and respect that some victims want me to impose the maximum punishment in their case," Gascón said last year. "Research shows that excessive sentencing practices have exacerbated recidivism leading to more victims of crime. Our system of justice can't continue to rely on policies that create more victims tomorrow simply because some victims want the maximum punishment imposed in their case today."

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.