Friday, 17 July 2026, 7:01
A Long Beach man has been sentenced to over 26 years in federal prison for a Los Angeles County armed robbery spree that ended with a police pursuit and the death of an innocent bystander. The case highlights the devastating consequences of violent crime and high-speed chases in Los Angeles County.
According to court documents, Kaelenn Maea and three other men committed three armed robberies in one week in September 2023. They targeted a liquor store in Downey, a gas station in Compton, and a convenience store in South El Monte. In each robbery, Maea used a short-barreled rifle to intimidate employees and customers, and fired the weapon once inside the Downey store, though no one was hit. The group stole approximately $5,050 in cash. At the Compton gas station, he brandished the rifle at an employee and blocked the doorway to prevent customers and employees from escaping. He also brandished the rifle at the South El Monte convenience store. In each heist, Maea used the rifle to control the cashier and customers while another robber took full cash registers or drawers before the suspects fled in a stolen Range Rover, prosecutors said. Federal prosecutors noted that Maea “pointed a short-barreled rifle at store employees and customers while he robbed three different stores with his co-conspirators, even once needlessly and intentionally shooting the rifle into the air.”
On Oct. 9, 2023, Maea stole a Range Rover in East Los Angeles and led police on an hour-long, high-speed chase. The pursuit ended around 3:30 p.m. at the intersection of Southern Avenue and State Street in South Gate, where Maea crashed into a gray Nissan Sentra driven by Jose Ochoa Jr., 34. Ochoa was pronounced dead at the scene. Maea continued driving, hitting several other vehicles and injuring another driver, then fled on foot. He was later found hiding under a house. Inside the stolen Range Rover, detectives found Maea's driver's license and a green hoodie with the word 'Paris' on it. The same stolen Range Rover had been used during two of the robberies. After the fatal car accident, the suspects ran away, but Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies found Iakopo hiding in a trash can in the area, an affidavit states. Deputies say they later found clothing belonging to Maea beside a small crawl space under a nearby house. Inside the Range Rover, deputies found clothing, identification and a phone also believed to belong to Maea, according to the affidavit.
Maea pleaded guilty in April 2025 to one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), one count of Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of possessing, using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a short-barreled rifle in furtherance of a crime of violence. He was sentenced on Wednesday to 318 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald. Restitution will be determined at a later date. Three co-defendants also pleaded guilty: Isaiah Villasana, 27, of Carson, is serving 10 years after pleading guilty to a firearms charge for holding a victim at gunpoint during the Downey liquor store robbery; Mathew Salanoa, 32, of Placentia, is serving 49 months for participating in the Compton robbery; and Salagi Iakopo, 26, of Compton, pleaded guilty in August 2025 to one count of Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy and is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 19. Court papers show Maea was previously sentenced to six years in prison for his part in a January 2016 home-invasion armed robbery where his crew pointed guns at two residents who were sleeping, stole $299 worth of property and crashed their car into a street pole during a high-speed pursuit.
The crimes occurred in multiple Los Angeles County cities: Downey, Compton, South El Monte, East Los Angeles, and South Gate. The fatal crash took place in South Gate, a city in southeastern Los Angeles County. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, which covers Los Angeles and surrounding counties. The FBI and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter. The Los Angeles Police Department, the El Monte Police Department, and the Downey Police Department provided assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Jena A. MacCabe of the Major Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
Maea had a prior criminal record, including a 2017 robbery conviction that led to a six-year prison sentence and a conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm that resulted in a two-year sentence. The robbery spree occurred shortly after his release.
The sentencing brings some closure to the family of Jose Ochoa Jr., who was killed in the crash. His sister described him as 'the purest example of unconditional love I have ever known.' The deceased man’s sister wrote in a victim impact statement filed with the court that her brother’s death “has affected me more than words could ever express. The stress, anxiety, grief and pain are things I carry with me every single day. Since Oct. 9, 2023, my family has never been the same. Because of this crime, we no longer have the normal life we once knew, and we will carry this pain for the rest of our lives,” she wrote. The case underscores the severe penalties for violent crime and the tragic outcomes of high-speed police chases.
