Downey Man Arrested on Armed Robbery Charges in Thefts at Local GameStop Stores that Netted $135,000 in Cash and Merchandise

          LOS ANGELES – A Downey man has been arrested on federal criminal charges for his role in four armed robberies of GameStop video game stores in Los Angeles and Orange counties that resulted in the theft of $135,000 in merchandise, cash and employees’ cellphones.

          Frederick Lopez Jr., 27, was arrested at his residence on Thursday and remains in custody pursuant to a criminal complaint charging him with four counts of interference with commerce by robbery.

          According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Lopez took part in armed robberies of GameStop stores in Lynwood, Rowland Heights, West Covina and Brea between August 28, 2018 and October 26, 2018. Lopez allegedly entered the stores at night, sometimes accompanied by another suspect, and made small talk with the GameStop store clerks before brandishing a gun and demanding merchandise and money from the cash register. Lopez and the other suspect allegedly also stole victims’ cell phones and, on two occasions, ordered the victims to help load the stolen merchandise into a silver minivan registered to Lopez. Lopez’s fingerprint was found on a Nintendo entertainment system recovered from the scene of the Brea robbery, and witnesses and victims later identified Lopez as one of the suspects, the complaint states.

          Lopez is expected to be arraigned in early April.

          A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

          Each of the robbery counts in the complaint carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

          This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Brea Police Department.

          This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky and Bruce K. Riordan of the Violent and Organized Crime Section.