Federal authorities arrested a Los Angeles man suspected of robbing several victims in parking lots in Los Angeles and Orange counties during a month long armed crime spree, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Dec. 5.
Oshae Pollard, 21, of south Los Angeles, was arrested Wednesday and charged with interference with commerce by robbery and use of a firearm in a violent crime.
The robbery charge is a Hobbs Act violation, which is often used by federal prosecutors in cases of alleged violent criminals and street gangs.
According to court documents, from Aug. 25 to Sept. 22, federal prosecutors allege Pollard targeted victims in parking lots during three armed robberies and one attempted armed robbery.
“The violence alleged in this complaint shocks the conscience,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada.
Federal authorities alleged that the first robbery happened late at night on Aug. 25 at the Hustler Casino parking lot in Gardena, about 14 miles south of Los Angeles. Pollard is suspected of allegedly running toward a victim and pushing her to the ground.
The victim held onto her purse during the incident and yelled for help, according to federal prosecutors.
Pollard allegedly began pulling on the victim’s purse and pulled out a black semi-automatic pistol. Prosecutors alleged the defendant put the gun in the victim’s mouth, breaking her teeth in the process, and said, “If you yell again, I’ll kill you.”
As a witness in the parking lot started yelling, Pollard allegedly grabbed the victim’s purse, stealing between $1,000 and $2,000, and drove away.
In the early morning hours of Aug. 26, the day after the purse robbery, federal prosecutors say Pollard and an accomplice allegedly robbed a taxi driver sitting inside his cab in the parking lot of a Winchell’s Donut House in Carson, about 18 miles south of Los Angeles.
Pollard and his accomplice allegedly struck the taxi driver in the face, jumped into his car, and held him at gunpoint until he handed them his wallet and Samsung cell phone.
Later that day, prosecutors say Pollard and an accomplice approached two people standing near their Rolls-Royce and Ferrari vehicles in the parking lot of the Fashion Island shopping center in Newport Beach, about 32 miles south of Carson.
The two allegedly pointed a semi-automatic pistol at the victim standing near the Rolls-Royce and demanded cash. The victim handed over a luxury watch, a wallet, and the keys to the car, according to court documents.
When the other victim started the Ferrari and attempted to drive away, Pollard allegedly ran to the driver’s door and fired one round into the Ferrari, barely missing the victim. The driver drove to a nearby gas station and asked a clerk to call police. Police later recovered one 9-millimeter shell casing from the scene, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In all, the robbers allegedly stole about $44,000 in items during the robbery.
On Sept. 22, prosecutors alleged Pollard approached another victim, who was getting into his car in the parking lot at South Coast Plaza shopping center in Costa Mesa.
Authorities say Pollard allegedly demanded the victim’s watch, ring, and vehicle, and later threatened to shoot the victim, according to court records.
When the victim didn’t comply, Pollard allegedly shot him in his left hand, then pointed his pistol at the victim’s chest and said, “You’re a dead man.”
Authorities say Pollard then shot the victim in the left thigh as the man was removing his watch.
Despite the gunshot wounds, the victim managed to kick Pollard to the ground and continued kicking him. He fought with him for a short time before getting back into his car and driving away. Meanwhile, Pollard allegedly fled the scene in a Kia Forte. The victim survived the attack.
If convicted of all charges, Pollard faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
