A Long Beach man has been charged with robbery following a crime spree earlier this year in which he’s accused of leading police on a pursuit that killed a bystander.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department released Kaelenn Maea, 26, into federal custody on Thursday morning, after Maea was charged with one count of robbery, as well as using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, officials said.
Two alleged co-conspirators, Salagi Iakopo, 30, of Carson, and Matthew Salanoa, 23, of Placentia, were charged with the same crimes as Maea in a federal criminal complaint filed last week, officials said.
Prosecutors say that Maea, Iakopo, and Salanoa committed three armed robberies at convenience stores in Downey, Compton, and South El Monte between Sept. 22 and Sept. 29.
Surveillance footage from the robberies in Compton and South El Monte appeared to show the suspects using a short-style rifle to hold the cashier and customers at bay while one man removed full cash registers or drawers before they fled in a stolen Range Rover, authorities said.
On Oct. 9, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies spotted the Range Rover, but its driver sped off and crashed into another car, killing a person inside, officials said.
The people in the Range Rover ran away following the crash and authorities later found Iakopo hiding in a nearby trash can, officials said. Clothes, a cellphone and an ID belonging to Maea were found inside the SUV, officials said, adding that detectives later found more clothes belonging to the Long Beach resident next to a crawl space under a nearby house. Salanoa was also eventually taken into custody in connection with the armed robberies, authorities said.
Officials said Maea and Salanoa were expected to make their first appearances in U.S. District Court this week on Wednesday, but they did not indicate whether the men were physically present. Meanwhile, authorities continue to search for Iakopo, who was released from the sheriff’s custody on bond before the federal charges were filed, officials said.
If convicted of all charges, each defendant could potentially face life in federal prison, officials said.