Hostage-Taking Armed Robber Sentenced to Life in Prison

A man who robbed a check cashing business in Lake Forest, took a customer hostage and led police on a high-speed chase before being captured in Laguna Hills has been sentenced to life in jail.

Tracy Seward, 41, of Laguna Hills, was sentenced today to serve 13 years plus a life sentence in prison for the June 2009 armed robbery in Lake Forest and another in Tustin the month prior.

In May 2009, Seward reportedly robbed a Check N' Go in Tustin, threatening employees with a semi-automatic gun. According to the Orange County District Attorney's office, Seward stole cash from the store register and forced an employee to open a safe.

During the safe's 10-minute time delay, Seward cut the store's phone lines and forced the same employee to retrieve the surveillance tape. Then, he took the money from the safe and fled the scene.

About a month later, Seward robbed Payday Loans in Lake Forest, threatening to kill a customer if an employee refused to hand over the store's money.

While Seward was still in the store, the employee was able to notify police without his knowing and when police arrived on scene, Seward used the customer whose life he had threatened as a shield to flee.

With the customer hostage, Seward led Orange County Sheriff's Department deputies on a 45 minute high-speed chase, during which he ran more than 40 red lights and 15 stop signs, drove into oncoming traffic and hit and damaged another vehicle.

He was eventually arrested in Laguna Hills. His hostage escaped unscathed.

Similarities between the two robberies later linked Seward to the Tustin heist.

The Laguna Hills man pleaded guilty today to two felony counts of robbery and one felony count each of aggravated kidnapping, use of a firearm to resist arrest, evading police officers, possession of stolen property, and a sentencing enhancement allegation for the personal use of a firearm.