Executive Summary
- Jesus Soto-Parada pleaded guilty to conspiracy and interference with commerce regarding a 2024 robbery spree.
- The robberies targeted stores in multiple cities including Buena Park, Newport Beach, and Gardena.
- Co-defendant Daniel Pavon is scheduled to face trial in Los Angeles federal court on January 27.
Jesus Soto-Parada, a 27-year-old man residing in South Los Angeles, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to federal charges stemming from an armed robbery spree that targeted convenience stores across Southern California, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Federal prosecutors stated that Soto-Parada entered a plea to one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and seven counts of interference with commerce by robbery. The defendant, who authorities noted had been deported to El Salvador during the timeline of the robberies before returning to the United States, is scheduled for sentencing on April 15.
According to court filings, the robberies occurred between January and June of 2024. Investigators detailed that Soto-Parada and his co-defendant targeted businesses in Buena Park, Cypress, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Pomona, Newport Beach, Agoura Hills, and Gardena. Prosecutors allege the pair stole approximately $13,950 in cash and $7,415 in merchandise.
Law enforcement officials reported that the suspects typically wore surgical masks and demanded cash at gunpoint while accomplices acted as lookouts. The spree concluded following a robbery at a 7-Eleven in Gardena, where police located the suspects during a traffic stop. During a search of the vehicle, officers reportedly recovered cash, a box of blue medical face masks, a tracking device, and a black replica semi-automatic handgun.
Soto-Parada was arrested alongside co-defendant Daniel Pavon, a 21-year-old Honduran national living in Gardena. A store clerk identified both men shortly after the traffic stop, noting their clothing matched the attire worn during the heist, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Judicial Proceedings
With Soto-Parada’s guilty plea secured, the judicial focus now shifts to the sentencing phase, where the court will weigh the severity of the interference with commerce against federal sentencing guidelines. Meanwhile, proceedings continue for co-defendant Daniel Pavon, whose trial is scheduled to begin on January 27 in Los Angeles federal court. It is important to note that Daniel Pavon is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
