Three Los Angeles men sentenced to 13 years for coordinated 7-Eleven lottery robbery spree

Three men receive 13-year prison sentences for 28 coordinated robberies of 7-Eleven stores in Los Angeles County involving stolen lottery tickets.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 26, 2026, 6:19 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Patch

The Conclusion of a Major Metropolitan Robbery Case

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has announced the sentencing of three men involved in a high volume robbery operation that spanned several months in 2024. Darrick Johnson, Taivyon Spells, and James Guillermo Guyton each received 13 year terms in state prison after pleading no contest to numerous felony charges. The legal resolution follows a coordinated spree that primarily targeted 7-Eleven convenience stores throughout the southern region of the county. Prosecutors emphasized that the length of the sentences reflects the repeated and brazen nature of the crimes, which caused significant financial loss and psychological trauma to local business owners and staff.

Tactics and Execution of the Coordinated Spree

Between February and April 2024, the defendants allegedly participated in 28 separate robberies characterized by a consistent and aggressive strategy. During these incidents, multiple suspects would enter a retail location simultaneously and move directly behind the cashier’s counter to seize high value merchandise. While lottery tickets were the primary focus, other store inventory was also taken, totaling a combined value exceeding $200,000. Law enforcement reports detailed that the perpetrators did not rely solely on stealth, as employees were frequently threatened or physically assaulted to ensure the success of the thefts.

The Role of Serial Number Tracking in Prosecution

The investigation reached a breakthrough due to the specific nature of the stolen goods. Investigators from the California State Lottery Law Enforcement Division worked alongside local police to track the unique serial numbers assigned to every lottery ticket. This digital trail allowed authorities to identify exactly where and when the stolen tickets were being redeemed at various independent retail locations. Surveillance footage from these secondary stores captured the defendants attempting to cash in their illicit gains, providing the District Attorney’s Office with undeniable visual evidence linking the men to the original crime scenes.