ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE
Case #16WF1578
Date: January 5, 2018
WESTMINSTER, Calif. – A serial robber was sentenced to 12 years in state prison for robbing 13 stores by threatening the cashiers with a replica firearm.
Defendant: John Allen Wagner, 50, Westminster
Pleaded guilty on Aug. 2, 2017, to the following felony counts:
- (13) Second degree robbery
- Sentencing Enhancement Allegations
- Prior convictions for residential burglary in 1987 and federal bank robbery in 1991 in Orange County
Sentence: Court offer of 12 years in state prison
Circumstances of the Case
- On Jan. 21, 2015, Wagner robbed the clerk at a Rite Aid store in Garden Grove.
- On Feb. 8, 2015, Wagner entered an Albertson’s grocery store in Fountain Valley and approached a cash register with a bottled beverage. As the cashier opened the register to complete the transaction, the defendant lifted his shirt to reveal what appeared to be a firearm in his waistband, placed his hand on the grip, and demanded the cashier give him money from the register. The defendant fled the scene before police officers arrived.
- On Feb. 17, 2015, Wagner robbed a Rite-Aid store in Fountain Valley by approaching a cash register, grabbing his waistband, and demanding the cashier give him all of the money in the register. The defendant then fled the scene.
- In March 2015, the defendant robbed a CVS and a Rite-Aid store in locations in Huntington Beach and Westminster, respectively.
- On April 23, 2015, the defendant robbed Walgreens store in Fountain Valley and fled the scene.
- On May 24, 2015, Wagner robbed a separate Albertson’s grocery store in Fountain Valley by showing a cashier what appeared to be a firearm in his waistband and demanding all of the money in the register.
- In June 2015, Wagner robbed the clerks of a CVS in Westminster, a Rite-Aid in Costa Mesa, and a Vons in Huntington Beach in a similar manner.
- On July 7, 2015, the defendant robbed a cashier at a Ralph’s grocery store in Huntington Beach.
- On July 20, 2015, Wagner walked to a check-out line in a separate Walgreens store in Fountain Valley, displayed what appeared to be a firearm in his waistband, and forced the cashier to give him money. Wagner reached over the register to grab more money from the register before fleeing the scene.
- On July 10, 2016, the defendant robbed the clerk of a Vons grocery store in Huntington Beach.
- On July 20, 2016, the defendant was shopping at a Ralph’s grocery store in Fountain Valley when a customer recognized him as a suspect in a local robbery. The customer called the Fountain Valley Police Department (FVPD), who located the defendant driving away from the store and initiated a traffic stop. At the time of his arrest, Wagner was in possession of a BB gun resembling a firearm and articles of clothing consistent with those seen on surveillance video of the robberies.
Prosecutor: Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Kirk, Special Prosecutions Unit
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TONY RACKAUCKAS, District Attorney
Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff
Office: 714-347-8408
Cell: 714-292-2718
Michelle Van Der Linden,Spokesperson
Office: 714-347-8405
Cell: 714-323-4486
