FBI, Inglewood PD arrest arrest 3 men on federal murder charges

 LOS ANGELES – Three individuals have been arrested and charged federally for their alleged roles in the murder of a 26-year-old man and the wounding of a second victim, both of whom were lured to a location under the assumption they would be conducting a sale of marijuana that had been arranged online. The third defendant in this case was arraigned last week. 

A superseding federal indictment filed on September 26 charges the three defendants with two counts of Hobbs Act robbery. The indictment additionally charges all three defendants with using, carrying and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence which resulted in the murder of one person. The defendants charged in the three-count indictment are: 

• Mateo Paul, 21, of Long Beach, who was arrested on November 13;
• Leandrew Raglin, 23, of Lancaster, who was arrested on October 31; and
• Iysis Elanore Smith, 21, of Inglewood, who was arrested on September 13 after she fled and was a fugitive for three months before she was located in Lynwood, California.

According to the indictment, the defendants met at a residence in Inglewood in March 2021 to plan the robbery of marijuana dealers whom they arranged to meet on a social media application under the pretext of purchasing the drug. The defendants allegedly set up a ruse to lure the victims to a location in order to rob them using a firearm.

On March 15, 2021, the indictment alleges, Smith approached the vehicle occupied by the victims. While Smith allegedly distracted the victims, Paul and Raglin parked behind the victims’ vehicle. Raglin then allegedly exited the vehicle Paul was driving, approached the passenger side of the victim’s car and opened fire, repeatedly wounding the victim in the passenger seat. Raglin then walked around to the driver’s side of the vehicle and opened fire, fatally wounding the victim in the driver’s seat of the vehicle, according to the indictment.   

The indictment alleges that Raglin stole marijuana that had been dropped around the victims’ car. Paul then allegedly drove away from the scene, while Raglin and Smith allegedly ran from the location. The following day, the defendants divided the marijuana they obtained and smoked some of it, according to the indictment. 

All three defendants have each been arraigned and have entered not guilty pleas. Paul is scheduled for trial on January 9, 2024; Raglin is scheduled to go on trial on December 26; and Smith has a trial currently scheduled for November 28.

If convicted, each defendant charged would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison. 

Read the full indictment here.