A previously deported illegal immigrant pled guilty on Tuesday to a string of armed robberies targeting various convenience stores in California, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
On June 13, 2024, Jesús Soto-Parada, 27, from El Salvador, was apprehended while fleeing a robbery at a 7-Eleven near Los Angeles. A clerk placed a disguised GPS tracker with the stolen cash. Soto-Parada and an accomplice reportedly robbed stores across eight cities over a five-month period last year, according to the Justice Department.
Related posts
Soto-Parada is suspected of 11 thefts but has acknowledged conducting seven of them between January and June 2024 in Los Angeles and Orange counties, authorities said.
Federal prosecutors stated that Soto-Parada pled guilty to eight felonies, including one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and seven counts of robbery under the Hobbs Act, a federal law that makes it a crime to rob or extort businesses in a way that affects commerce.
According to federal prosecutors, Soto-Parada had a history of immigration violations prior to his crime spree, including arrests in 2016 and 2022.
According to authorities, Soto-Parada was arrested during his crime spree in March 2024 and later deported to El Salvador the following month. He later returned to the United States, where he allegedly proceeded to perpetrate robberies.
Police were able to apprehend Soto-Parada and his accomplice, Daniel Pavon, during their most recent theft at a 7-Eleven on June 13, thanks to a covert GPS tracker the clerk had put in the $250 they stole, allowing officers to monitor their movements.
According to the criminal complaint, Soto-Parada emptied the register while Pavon waved a black fake handgun at the clerk.
The thieves grabbed around $13,950 in cash and $7,415 in items.
Soto-Parada’s sentencing date is April 15, 2026. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each conviction, according to prosecutors.
