Three people were charged in connection with a series of armed robberies targeting smoke shops, donut shops, and convenience stores during a two-week crime spree last year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced on February 20.
Antonio Lamar Bland, 36, of North Hollywood; Ronnie Tucker, 23, of Long Beach; and Abigail Luckey, 49, of North Hollywood, allegedly robbed 12 businesses between January 29 and February 14. The targeted locations included a Tustin smoke shop, nine 7-Eleven stores across various cities, and two donut shops in Los Angeles and Downey.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Bland and Tucker typically entered the businesses late at night wearing hooded sweatshirts and face masks, while Luckey served as the getaway driver, waiting outside in a white sedan owned by her.
The crime spree continued until February 14, when an attempted robbery at a Downey donut shop was thwarted. During the attempt, one of the suspects allegedly ordered the employee to open the cash register, while Bland displayed what appeared to be a handgun. The employee, fearing for his safety, retrieved his own firearm and fired a shot into a wall, prompting Bland and Tucker to flee.
Law enforcement officers, who had been observing the scene, pulled over a vehicle containing all three suspects and recovered a firearm from the car.
If convicted of all charges, Bland, Tucker, and Luckey face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
