Derrick Patterson, a 24-year-old man from Compton, California, was charged with more than 30 counts of robbery, burglary, grand theft and assault after he allegedly used the hookup app Grindr to lure more than 20 gay men into dates that turned into robberies.
Patterson allegedly used Grindr to contact his victims, who he then met at their homes or hotel rooms, purportedly for sex. Once at the victims’ homes, Patterson would allegedly pull weapons on them, then demand money and their cell phones, before fleeing the scene with the victims’ wallets.
Patterson was arrested on March 1, 2023, after he allegedly robbed a man at gunpoint. He is currently being held on $1.5 million bail.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office is urging other victims of Patterson to come forward. The DA’s office said that Patterson may have robbed other victims, and that they are working to identify them.
Patterson is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison if he is convicted of all charges.
The DA’s office is urging anyone with information about Patterson to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
