A Moreno Valley man pleaded guilty Thursday to charges that he robbed a string of pharmacies in the Inland Empire.
A sentencing hearing for David Anthony Battle, 51, is scheduled for June 14 in Riverside federal court. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each of the six robbery counts, according to Ciaran McEvoy, the public information officer for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Battle pleaded guilty to six felony counts of interference with commerce by robbery. His plea agreement indicated he robbed six pharmacies — Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid — in the areas of Moreno Valley, Colton and San Bernardino from July 6, 2020 to Aug. 10, 2020, McEvoy said. He also attempted to rob two more pharmacies in Moreno Valley.
Battle wore a medical mask covering his mouth and nose and brandished what appeared to be a handgun during to demand that money held in a cash register be placed in a bag and handed over to him in each incident, McEvoy said.
Battle stole $5,453 in the robberies, according to McEvoy.
Battles was arrested after law enforcement reviewed store surveillance videos, McEvoy said. A black BB-gun-style pistol was found on the ground near Battles during his arrest.
The robberies were investigated by the FBI, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, San Bernardino Police Department and Colton Police Department.