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A previously deported illegal immigrant pleaded guilty Tuesday to a series of armed robberies targeting multiple convenience stores in California, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Jesús Soto-Parada, 27, from El Salvador, was arrested on June 13, 2024, while fleeing a robbery at a 7-Eleven near Los Angeles, after a clerk placed a hidden GPS device with the cash that they stole. Soto-Parada and an accomplice allegedly robbed stores across eight cities over a five-month period last year, the Department of Justice said last year.
Soto-Parada is suspected of 11 thefts but admitted to committing seven of the charged cases across Los Angeles and Orange counties from January to June 2024, authorities said.
Federal prosecutors noted that Soto-Parada pleaded guilty to eight felonies, including one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and seven counts of robbery under the Hobbs Act, a federal law that makes it a crime to rob or extort businesses in a way that affects commerce.
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Suspect in black hoodie attempted to rob Monroe Liquor on Jan. 11, 2024. (DOJ)
Soto-Parada also had multiple prior immigration violations before his robbery spree, including arrests by federal authorities in 2016 and 2022, according to federal prosecutors.
Authorities said that during his robbery spree in March 2024, Soto-Parada was arrested and subsequently deported to El Salvador the following month. He later returned to the United States and reportedly continued to commit robberies.
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A second man in black hoodie was caught on surveillance footage holding a firearm during an attempted robbery at Monroe Liquor on Jan. 11, 2024. (DOJ)
Police were able to apprehend Soto-Parada and his accomplice, Daniel Pavon, during their most recent robbery at a 7-Eleven on June 13, thanks to a hidden GPS device the clerk had placed in the $250 they stole, which allowed officers to track their movements.
During the robbery, Soto-Parada, wearing a blue surgical mask and black sweatshirt, emptied the register while Pavon aimed a black replica handgun at the clerk, according to a criminal complaint.
A male suspect in a face mask and black hoodie appears to hold a firearm during a 7-Eleven robbery on June 13, 2024. (DOJ)
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In total, the suspects stole around $13,950 in cash and $7,415 in merchandise.
Sentencing for Soto-Parada is scheduled for April 15, 2026. He could face up to 20 years in federal prison for each count, prosecutors said.
Fox News’ Louis Casiano contributed to this report.