RIVERSIDE, CA – Samuel Sven Smith, 27, of Phoenix, Arizona, has confessed to a brazen crime spree that terrorized Southern California and his home state last summer. Smith pleaded guilty today to federal charges stemming from the armed robberies of nine stores, a spree that culminated in a chaotic high-speed chase where he opened fire on law enforcement before accidentally shooting himself.
According to court documents, Smith systematically targeted Big Lots and PetSmart locations, hitting stores in Riverside, Signal Hill, Orange, San Bernardino, Fontana, Pico Rivera, Redlands, Phoenix, and Rancho Cucamonga between July 31st and August 20th, 2022. In each instance, Smith brandished a firearm, intimidating store employees to hand over cash. The Rancho Cucamonga PetSmart robbery, where he stole $400, proved to be the last.
As Smith exited the PetSmart, federal agents moved in to apprehend him. Instead of surrendering, Smith immediately opened fire on the officers, escalating the situation into a dangerous pursuit. He then jumped into his vehicle and led law enforcement on a high-speed chase, continuing to fire his weapon at pursuing officers. The chase ended violently when officers strategically rammed Smith’s car.
The aftermath was bizarre. When officers approached the wrecked vehicle, they found Smith suffering from a gunshot wound under his chin. Incredibly, Smith confessed that the wound was self-inflicted, claiming the impact of the police ramming his car caused the gun to discharge accidentally. The ATF Orange County Violent Crime Task Force, comprised of ATF agents, Brea, Fullerton, and Santa Ana Police Departments, and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, spearheaded the investigation, with assistance from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
Smith pleaded guilty to two counts of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act) and two counts of brandishing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. He now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 17 years in federal prison, with a potential for life imprisonment. U.S. District Judge Jesus G. Bernal has scheduled a sentencing hearing for January 22, 2024.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky and Kevin J. Butler are prosecuting the case, seeking to ensure Smith pays for his reckless violence and the fear he instilled across two states. This case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by law enforcement and the lengths to which criminals will go, even to the point of self-harm, to avoid justice.
Related Federal Cases
- Samuel Sven Smith, Armed Robbery, Riverside CA, 2024 · California
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- Joseph John Deaser IV, Aggravated Identity Theft, California 2024 · Illinois
- Billy Glyn Sims Jr, Unlawful Firearms Dealing, California 2024 · Alabama
- Shawn Saesee, Firearms Trafficking, California 2023 · Alabama
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