An El Salvadorian nationwide — who entered the US illegally after being deported — has admitted to violently taking money and booze at gunpoint from six liquor shops throughout Southern California.
Unlawful immigrant Jesús Soto-Parada pled responsible to eight felonies stemming from the slew of crimes.
Police have been in a position to nab Soto and his confederate with the assistance of a secret GPS gadget the clerk snuck into the $250 wad of money they stole, permitting the officers to trace their each transfer.
Sporting a blue surgical masks and black sweatshirt, Soto-Parada emptied the registers at a Gardena 7-Eleven whereas his confederate Daniel Pavon aimed a black reproduction handgun on the clerk throughout a theft at 2:30 a.m. on June 13, 2024, in response to the felony criticism.
When officers combed the suspect’s inexperienced Ford Explorer, simply 2.5 miles from the 7-Eleven, they found a trove of surgical masks, a duplicate gun, hoodies and money.
The monitoring gadget was discovered on the entrance passenger footrest space, in response to the felony criticism filed by the workplace of Los Angeles US Lawyer Invoice Essayli.
An investigation revealed that Soto had been on a Southern California theft spree from January to June 2024, hitting six liquor shops and the 7-Eleven, netting over $17,000 in money and merchandise.
Further surveillance video from authorities reveals the suspects in hoodies, surgical masks and holding weapons throughout one incident at Monroe Liquors in Buena Park, California and on the native 7-Eleven.
The unlawful El Salvadorian was arrested by the Division of Homeland Safety in 2016 and 2022 for immigration violations. He was then deported to El Salvador on April 12, 2024, in response to the felony criticism.
It’s unclear how Soto was in a position to return to the US.
On Tuesday he pleaded responsible to eight felonies, one depend of conspiracy and 7 counts of Hobbs Act theft. Soto is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15, 2026 and faces as much as 20 years in federal jail for every depend.
