Arizona resident Samuel Sven Smith has pleaded guilty to charges related to a month-long crime spree that spanned two states. Smith was charged with robbing nine stores across Southern California and Arizona between July and August 2022, and he pleaded guilty to four counts related to the spree on Monday.
According to court documents, Smith robbed a Big Lots in Riverside, along with PetSmart stores in Signal Hill, Orange, San Bernardino, Fontana, Pico Rivera, Redlands, Phoenix, and ultimately Rancho Cucamonga.
The spree came to a dramatic end on August 20th, after Smith robbed a PetSmart in Rancho Cucamonga and then exited the store. Law enforcement confronted him, but Smith shot at the officers before getting into his car and speeding off. He then led officers and federal agents on a high-speed chase, shooting his gun from the car. The chase ultimately ended after police rammed Smith’s car.
When law enforcement approached Smith’s car at the end of the chase, they found he’d been shot under his chin. Smith told officers that he accidentally shot himself when his car was rammed.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced for the crimes in January 2024 and faces a minimum of 17 years in prison, with the potential for a life sentence. The plea deal was reached after prosecutors agreed to drop several charges against Smith in exchange for his guilty plea.
