A 50-year-old man accused of perpetrating a half-dozen robberies throughout the Inland Empire, holding up pharmacies while wearing a medical mask, was indicted Wednesday on six counts of robbery and two counts of attempted robbery.
David Anthony Battle of Moreno Valley was arrested in August for the robberies that he allegedly committed between July 6 and Aug. 10, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The case was presented to a federal grand jury, culminating in the indictment on the eight felony counts. Battle is being held without bond at the federal detention center in San Bernardino and is slated to appear for a post-indictment arraignment on Oct. 13 at U.S. District Court in Riverside.
Prosecutors allege the defendant targeted pharmacies in Colton, Moreno Valley and San Bernardino.
"During each incident, Battle allegedly wore similar clothing -- including wearing medical masks covering his nose and mouth -- and used a similar method of brandishing what appeared to be a handgun by pulling it out from his waistband and holding it at his side,'' according to a U.S. Attorney's Office statement. "He then demanded that money in the cash register be placed in a bag and handed over."
No one was injured during the holdups, which were committed using a BB gun, according to the government.
A total of $5,453 was stolen during the robberies, prosecutors said. The largest take -- $3,200 -- was netted during a holdup at a Walgreens in Moreno Valley on July 6, according to the indictment.
No one was injured in the robberies.
Investigators relied on security surveillance video and other evidence to ultimately identify the defendant as the alleged bandit. He was taken into custody without incident on Aug. 10 following a failed holdup that day, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
If convicted, Battle could face up to 160 years in federal prison.
The FBI, Riverside County Sheriff's Department, San Bernardino and Colton police departments handled the investigation.
