SoCal Pharmacy Robbery Spree Ends In Temecula, 4 Charged: DOJ

TEMECULA, CA —Four Inland Empire residents are behind bars this week after a series of pharmacy robberies across the Southland ended in Temecula, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Aaron Carter, 39, of Fontana; Diamond Lucious, 25, of Victorville; Isaak Penaldoza, 35, of San Bernardino, and Kararia Kendrick, 25, of Menifee, were arrested on suspicion of the crimes. According to a DOJ spokesperson, they are charged with attempted interference of commerce by robbery, also known as the Hobbs Act.

On Monday afternoon, a Temecula pharmacy was robbed by four people wearing hooded clothes, gloves, and masks. Those individuals first cased Apollo Pharmacy, located at 29645 Rancho California Road, then entered "brandishing guns, yelling at employees, and forcing them to lay on the ground at gunpoint," according to a statement released by the DOJ.

"While Kendrick waited in the car, Carter, Lucious and Penaldoza allegedly forced one employee toward this safe, then fled when nothing was inside," U.S. Attorney's Office Information Officer Ciaran McEvoy stated. The four suspects were arrested after a brief chase, and a 9 mm handgun was seen thrown from the getaway car, driven by Kendrick, the statement said. "All four were arrested at the scene without further incident."

According to McEvoy's statement, "Carter, Lucious, and Penaldoza, are not legally permitted to possess firearms because they have all been previously convicted of multiple felonies and were on post-release community supervision or parole at the time of their arrest."

The crime is being investigated as part of serial pharmacy robberies throughout Southern California as part of an ATF-led task force operation, including the Brea, Fullerton, and Santa Ana Police Departments, as well as the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

In previous robberies, three male suspects would enter the pharmacies wearing hooded sweatshirts and masks, according to the DOJ.

"Two of the suspects would be armed with guns, force employees to the ground, steal cash from the registers, and violently drag employees around the store," the DOJ statement said. "The third suspect would grab a trash can from inside the pharmacies and put stolen medications in the trash can."

Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Jena A. MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.