ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE
Case #16WF1578
Date: January 5, 2018
SERIAL ROBBER SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS IN STATE PRISON FOR ROBBING 13 STORES BY THREATENING CASHIERS WITH REPLICA FIREARM
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
Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.