A Huntington Park man who was already accused of robbing a Trader Joe's store in Chino Hills was indicted Friday for allegedly carrying out heists at more than a dozen of the grocer's locations across Southern California.
Gregory Johnson, 43, was charged in a new indictment with 15 federal counts of interference of commerce by robbery, five counts of knowingly using and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
An arraignment date has not yet been set.
Prosecutors contend that between Aug. 28 and Dec. 4 of last year, Johnson carried out 15 Trader Joe's robberies in Eagle Rock, Sherman Oaks, Chatsworth, Pasadena, Culver City, Rancho Palos Verdes, Agoura Hills, Simi Valley, Brea, Santa Ana, Tustin, Corona and Chino Hills.
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He was allegedly armed during some of the robberies. He is accused of robbing two stores twice within weeks of each other, in Rancho Palos Verdes and Brea.
Johnson and his son, Gregory Eric Johnson, were arrested after the Dec. 4 heist in Chino Hills, when a witness gave authorities a description of their getaway vehicle and license plate. The elder Johnson was previously charged in connection with the Chino Hills heist.
The robbery charges each carry up to 20 years in prison, while the firearms counts each carry up to seven years and the possession charges carries up to 10 years, according to prosecutors.
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Gregory Eric Johnson pleaded guilty to robbing Trader Joe's stores in Chino Hills and Chatsworth. He faces up to 40 years in prison when he's sentenced July 12.
