Two Murder Suspects Arrested

Albuquerque, NM - Thomas Stevenson and O’Shay Toney are accused of shooting and killing Marvin Ellis on May 31, 2015. Warrants for their arrest were issued on June 1, 2015. Detectives with the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) Homicide and Gang unit believed Stevenson and Toney fled the state of New Mexico shortly after the alleged murder and contacted the United States Marshals Service South West Investigative Fugitive Team (SWIFT) Task Force for assistance.

APD Detectives and SWIFT Investigators developed information that Stevenson was somewhere in New Orleans, Louisiana and enlisted the help of the U.S. Marshals Service Eastern District of Louisiana Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force to help identify where Stevenson was currently hiding. Deputies and Task Force Officers were able to identify an associate in New Orleans on Friday July 10, 2015 and successfully apprehended Stevenson. Stevenson was booked into the Kenner Police Department Jail and is currently pending extradition.

With Stevenson in jail, investigators turned their focus on Toney. APD Detectives and SWIFT Investigators believed Toney may have fled to Pennsylvania where he lived prior to coming to New Mexico. SWIFT Investigators requested assistance from the local Police Department in Altoona, Pennsylvania and the United States Marshals Service in Western Pennsylvania in attempting to locate Toney. Toney however had not returned to Pennsylvania. Then on Wednesday July 15, 2015 Investigators received information that Toney was possibly in Texas and again SWIFT Investigators Contacted the Lubbock Office of the United States Marshals Service North Texas Fugitive Task Force. Deputies and TFO’s were able to locate and apprehend Toney without incident and he was booked in the Lubbock County Detention Center pending extradition back to New Mexico.

United States Marshal Conrad E. Candelaria said “a theme repeated again and again, Deputy United States Marshals in partnership with local, county, state, and federal agencies banding together to pursue and arrest dangerous and violent criminals, regardless of where they might attempt to elude law enforcement. The versatility of the Task Forces that comprise the Marshals Service is effective and efficient because a universal banner of partnership and cooperation is the driving force towards the pursuit of wanted violent fugitives and as a result our many communities are safer; in these latest arrests of two dangerous fugitives, the District of New Mexico Marshals Service Task Force and its many law enforcement partners has proven once again the perseverance to pursue justice.”

Albuquerque Man Arrested After New Mexico Bank & Trust Robbery

Jeffry Stablein, 23, of Albuquerque, has been arrested in connection with the robbery Monday of New Mexico Bank & Trust, 3002 Louisiana Blvd NE, near Candelaria Road NE.

Stablein is expected to have an appearance in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque on Tuesday.

Witnesses say a man displaying a firearm robbed the bank at approximately 11:51 a.m. He left with an undisclosed amount of money.

The Albuquerque Police Department arrested Stablein a short time later and turned him over to the FBI.

Robbery of Bank of Albuquerque Branch

A man with a handgun robbed the Bank of Albuquerque,4201 Wyoming Blvd NE, on Thursday afternoon.

The FBI and Albuquerque Police Department are looking for a suspect described as a white male, 25-30 years old, approximately 5’10” tall, with a medium build.

He wore a black beanie, black scarf, white sweater, black gloves, blue jeans and white tennis shoes.

Witnesses say the suspect entered the bank at approximately 2:19 p.m. He covered his mouth and nose with the scarf.

The suspect approached the counter, pulled out a black handgun and demanded money from the teller.

The man left the bank with an undisclosed amount of money. He was last seen walking east on La Mirada Place NE.

Bank robbery is punishable by a 20-year prison sentence for each offense and the penalty increases if a dangerous weapon is used in the commission of the crime.

Anyone with information about this bank robbery is asked to call the Albuquerque FBI Office at (505) 889-1300 (24 hours) or Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers, anonymously, at 843-STOP.

The FBI may pay a reward of $1,000 for information leading to the suspect’s arrest and conviction.

Robbery of Bank of Albuquerque Branch

The FBI and Albuquerque Police Department are investigating the robbery of the Bank of Albuquerque, 4201 Wyoming Blvd. NE, on Friday.

The suspect is described as a Hispanic male, about 5’7 tall, weighing approximately 160 pounds, in his mid- to late 30s, with a small build and dark brown eyes.

He had a tattoo on his left hand and small bump on his nose.

The suspect wore a gray and black beanie with a design on it, blue jeans and dark shoes.

Witnesses say the suspect entered the bank at about 12:05 p.m., told a teller he was armed, and demanded cash.

The suspect put an undisclosed amount of money in a cheetah-colored bag and left the bank. He was last seen on foot heading west on La Mirada Place NE.

Bank robbery is punishable by a 20-year prison sentence for each offense and the penalty increases if a dangerous weapon is used in the commission of the crime.

Anyone with information about this bank robbery is asked to call the Albuquerque FBI Office at (505) 889-1300 (24 hours) or Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers, anonymously, at 843-STOP.

The FBI may pay a reward of $1,000 for information leading to the suspect’s arrest and conviction.

Tis the Season to go to Jail

Albuquerque, NM - On December 7, 2011, the United States Marshals Service for the District of New Mexico arrested Mark Anthony Gutierrez and Rian Chad Williams. Williams was arrested in Las Cruces shortly after being elevated to the Marshals Service Most Wanted Program and Gutierrez was arrested in Rio Rancho on an Albuquerque Metro Crime Stopper tip.

Rian Chad Williams was added to the New Mexico’s Most Wanted late yesterday afternoon based on his violent criminal history. Williams is a known member of the Cruces Boys gang operating in the Las Cruces metro area. Williams’ history includes: Armed Robbery, Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon, False Imprisonment, Auto Burglary, Possession of Burglary Tools, and Resisting Arrest. The latest warrant for Williams’ is based upon his alleged beating of the victim with a baseball bat causing severe head trauma. US Marshals located and arrested Williams at a residence in the Las Cruces area.

On December 6, 2011, the Albuquerque Police Metro Crime Stopper unit received a tip on Mark Anthony Gutierrez. Gutierrez was said to be staying in Rio Rancho with family members. The U.S. Marshals Service South West Investigative Fugitive Team (SWIFT) task force quickly responded to the tip whereby Gutierrez was taken into custody without incident.

This holiday season the Marshals Service has increased its efforts to assist local law enforcement authorities with focusing on arresting property crime offenders. In the past month, the Marshals Service SWIFT task force in cooperation with the Albuquerque Police has arrested four of the fugitives listed on APD’s Most Wanted Fugitive Property Crime Offender’s list. District of New Mexico, United States Marshal, Conrad E. Candelaria, said “these latest arrests exemplifies the enormous contributions and the effectiveness of the Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers Program, which allows for anonymity of those reporting the whereabouts of criminal offenders and fugitives from justice; combined with the extraordinary and coordinated efforts of the Marshals Service with local, county, state, federal and tribal enforcement agencies, violent and career criminals are pursued and arrested”.

U.S. Marshals Provide Watchful Eyes During Trick or Treat

Albuquerque, NM – On Monday, October 31, 2011, Deputy United States Marshals in the District of New Mexico participated in an annual Halloween Sex Offender Compliance Operation. The overarching goal of protecting New Mexico’s children was accomplished by means of a collaborative effort that involved many agencies participating throughout the State of New Mexico. Deputy U.S. Marshals assisted with verifying the residences of registered sex offenders in many communities and while in the process of verification deputies assisted local law enforcement officers in making sure the Offenders continue to maintain compliance with their conditions of release. United States Marshal for the District of New Mexico, Conrad E. Candelaria stated “the Marshals Service for the District of New Mexico is pleased that due to the effective partnerships that exists with the many law enforcement agencies throughout the State of New Mexico, a force of good prevailed and our children and families could enjoy their Halloween festivities, knowing that sexual predators will continue to be under the watchful eye of local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies”.

In central New Mexico, Deputy Marshals were assisted by law enforcement officers from Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office, New Mexico Attorney General's Office, New Mexico State Probation and Parole, U.S. Probation, Albuquerque Police Department, Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office and Rio Rancho Police Department. In northern New Mexico, the operation consisted of U.S. Marshals, Farmington Police Department, Bloomfield Police Department, San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, and New Mexico Probation and Parole. In southern New Mexico, the operation went from Oct. 26-28, and took place in Grant, Luna, and Hidalgo counties. The participating agencies in southern NM along with Deputy Marshals were HSI Special Agents, New Mexico State Police, Grant County Sheriff's Office, Luna County Sheriff's Office, Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office, New Mexico Probation and Parole, and Lordsburg Police Department.

The operation concluded with over 350 Sexual Offender addresses verified. There were 3 physical arrests made and 11 pending investigations opened. The operation also had law enforcement officers conduct foot patrol in the Albuquerque Cottonwood Mall. During their patrol, officers observed a man acting suspiciously; he was observed photographing children and was asked to leave the Mall.

Albuquerque Bank Robbery

The FBI and Albuquerque Police are looking for a man who robbed Bank of the West, 5401 Gibson Blvd SE, between San Mateo Boulevard SE and San Pedro Drive SE, on Tuesday morning.

The suspect is described as a black male wearing a white sleeveless T-shirt with some writing on the front, dark pants, and a white rag and a visor cap on his head.

He is about 5’7” tall, weighs approximately 170 pounds, and is about 35 years old. He had dark hair and a mustache.

Witnesses said the suspect entered the bank at about 9:30 - 9:45 a.m. and gave the teller a note demanding cash.

The robber left with an undisclosed amount of money. He was last seen on foot heading east on Gibson Boulevard. Nobody was injured.

Bank robbery is punishable by a 20-year prison sentence for each offense and the penalty increases if a dangerous weapon is used in the commission of the crime.

Anyone with information about this bank robbery is asked to call the Albuquerque FBI Office at (505) 889-1300 (24 hours) or Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers, anonymously, at 843-STOP.

The FBI may pay a reward of $1,000 for information leading to the suspect’s arrest and conviction.

Albuquerque Man Sentenced to 95 Months in Prison for Federal Crack Cocaine Conviction

ALBUQUERQUE—This morning in federal court, Albuquerque resident Timothy Bland, 46, was sentenced to a 95-month term of imprisonment to be followed by four years of supervised release based on his federal narcotics conviction.

United States Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said that Bland was charged on August 26, 2008, in a single-count sealed indictment alleging that he possessed more than five grams of crack cocaine in Bernalillo County on June 26, 2008. Court records reveal that the charge against Bland stemmed from his arrest by the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) on June 26, 2008 for trafficking crack cocaine out of his Albuquerque motel room. During a search of Bland’s room, the APD officers found approximately 132.50 grams of crack cocaine. The indictment was unsealed on February 3, 2009 after Bland was arrested on the federal charge. Bland was ordered detained following his arrest and has been in federal custody since that time. On June 24, 2010, Bland pleaded guilty to the indictment.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the APD, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Jon Ganjei.

Albuquerque Bank Robbery

The FBI and Albuquerque Police are looking for a man who robbed a Bank of America inside the Smith’s grocery store at 8040 Academy Road NE near Wyoming Boulevard NE on Friday night.

The suspect is described as a white male, 5’9” to 6’ tall, about 175 pounds, with a thin build.

He had some facial hair, possibly a goatee, and wore a gray long-sleeve shirt with an unknown logo on front and a baseball-style cap decorated with multi-colored graffiti that had a skull design on front. He might have been wearing blue jeans.

Witnesses say the suspect entered the store at about 6:15 p.m. and handed the teller a note demanding money. The note implied the robber had a gun, but no weapon was seen.

The suspect left with an undisclosed amount of money. Nobody was injured.

A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the subject.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Albuquerque FBI Office at (505) 889-1300 (24 hours) or Albuquerque Police Crime Stoppers at 843-STOP.

Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Bank Robbery Charge

ALBUQUERQUE—This morning in federal court in Albuquerque, Ryan Scott Davis, 33, pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with bank robbery. At sentencing, Davis faces a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment. Davis, a resident of Albuquerque, has been in federal custody since his arrest on April 15, 2011, and remains detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.

United States Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said that Davis pleaded guilty to robbing the New Mexico Educator’s Federal Credit Union (Bank) located at 6501 Indian School Street, NE in Albuquerque on April 15, 2011. Davis was charged in a criminal complaint filed on April 15, 2011, and subsequently was indicted on May 11, 2011.

According to the criminal complaint, witnesses to the bank robbery described the bank robber as a white male, approximately 6’ 2” tall, medium build, with blond-brown hair, wearing a blue and white baseball cap, a handkerchief under the baseball cap, a dark blue or black jacket, and wearing a military-style olive drab over-the-shoulder bag. The witnesses reported that the bank robber fled after obtaining cash from the tellers. Shortly thereafter, officers of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) observed a man fitting the description of the bank robber riding a scooter. When the officers arrested Davis, they discovered that he had large sums of cash as well as other evidence of the bank robbery. After APD transferred Davis into the custody of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), he confessed to robbing the Bank after waiving his constitutional rights.

The case was investigated by the FBI and APD, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Raul Torrez.

Robbery of First American Bank Branch Near Paseo del Norte

The FBI and Albuquerque police are investigating a robbery that occurred late Friday morning at First American Bank, 8110 Ventura NE, near Paseo del Norte.

Nobody was injured. The suspect got away with an undisclosed amount of money.

The robber wore a tan fisherman-style hat with a wide brim and a short-sleeve blue shirt with a white stripe on front.

He is described as a white male, 5’4” to 5’5” tall, in his late 20s to early 30s, with a thin to medium build.

The suspect had short to medium light brown hair.

Witnesses say the man entered the bank at about 10:30-10:40 a.m. and handed a teller a demand note.

Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI at 505-889-1300.

Albuquerque Bank Robbed

The FBI and Albuquerque police are investigating a robbery that occurred this afternoon at Compass Bank, 4624 4th Street NW.

Witnesses say a white male walked into the bank at about 3:30 p.m. and gave a teller a note that demanded money.

The man left with an undisclosed amount of money. Nobody was hurt.

The subject is described as in his late teens to early 20s, about 5’8” tall, with a thin build.

He had dark blonde hair and long sideburns.

He wore a dark stocking cap and a black shirt. He may have changed into a red shirt when he left the bank.

A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Albuquerque FBI Office at 505-889-1300 (24 hours) or Albuquerque Police Crime Stoppers at 843-STOP.

Isleta Pueblo Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Bank Robbery Offense

ALBUQUERQUE—On June 17, 2011, Adriana Nicole Abeita, 24, entered a guilty plea to an information charging her with bank robbery under a plea agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office. At sentencing, Ms. Abeita faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Ms. Abeita, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Isleta, remains on release under pretrial supervision pending her sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.

United States Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said that Abeita served as the getaway driver for the armed bank robbery of the Bank of the West (Bank) located at 500 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard NE, in Albuquerque on June 22, 2010. Abeita was arrested that same day and charged in a criminal complaint. Ms. Abeita and co-defendant, James Joshua Abeita, 31, also an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Isleta, were indicted on armed bank robbery charges on July 13, 2010. Mr. Abeita, who is not related to Ms. Abeita, was arrested on July 28, 2010.

According to the criminal complaint, the Bank was robbed at approximately 10:00 a.m. on June 22, 2010 by a man who verbally demanded money and brandished a 12" kitchen knife at a bank teller. The bank teller provided cash to the robber in response to his demand for “hundreds and fifties” and the money from her “refill” drawer. After leaving the Bank, the robber was seen getting into the passenger side of a dark green Dodge Stratus with a missing front bumper that was driven by a woman. Later that day, several law enforcement agencies received tips from various sources identifying Mr. Abeita as the bank robber and Ms. Abeita as the driver of the Dodge Stratus. Thereafter, the victim bank teller and another teller identified Mr. Abeita as the bank robber from photo-arrays, and officers of the Pueblo of Isleta Police Department arrested Ms. Abeita. In a post-arrest statement, Ms. Abeita admitted driving the getaway car with knowledge that Mr. Abeita had entered the Bank with the intention of robbing the Bank.

In her plea agreement, Ms. Abeita again admitted being the getaway car driver for Mr. Abeita with the knowledge that he had entered the bank for the purpose of committing bank robbery. Under the terms of the plea agreement, the indictment against Ms. Abeita will be dismissed after she is sentenced.

On June 2, 2011, Mr. Abeita entered a guilty plea to the indictment charging him with armed bank robbery under a plea agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office. In entering his plea, Mr. Abeita admitted brandishing a 12" knife at the bank teller when he verbally demanded cash from her on June 22, 2010. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Mr. Abeita will be sentenced to 84-months’ imprisonment. Mr. Abeita has been in federal custody since his arrest, and remains detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Albuquerque Police Department and the Pueblo of Isleta Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roberto D. Ortega.

Albuquerque Man Charged with Robbing Bank of the West

ALBUQUERQUE—This morning in federal court in Albuquerque, a United States Magistrate Judge found that there was probable cause to support a criminal complaint charging Albuquerque resident Edward Lee Bowlin, 43, with bank robbery. If convicted of the offense, Bowlin faces up to 20-years’ imprisonment, a maximum $250,000 fine and up to three years of supervised release. Bowlin will remain in federal custody pending trial.

United States Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said that Bowlin was arrested on April 14, 2011 and charged with robbing the Bank of the West branch located at 5401 Gibson Boulevard SE in Albuquerque (bank). According to the criminal complaint, the bank was robbed by a man who entered the bank, claimed to be armed, and demanded money from a teller. After the teller provided the robber with cash, the robber fled on foot. After obtaining a description of the robber from witnesses, officers of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) canvassed the area and detained Bowlin, a man fitting the description of the robber. After the victim bank teller identified Bowlin as the person who robbed the bank, APD arrested Bowlin and transported him to the office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for further investigation.

The case was investigated by APD and the FBI, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Norman Cairns.

Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Bank Robbery Offense

ALBUQUERQUE—This morning in federal court in Albuquerque, Johnny Eldrid Ortiz, 34, entered a guilty plea to an indictment charging him with bank robbery under a plea agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office. At sentencing, Ortiz, an Albuquerque resident, faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum $250,000 fine. Ortiz has been in federal custody since November 12, 2010 and will remain detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.

United States Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said that Ortiz pled guilty to robbing the Wells Fargo Bank located at

6000 Menaul Blvd. NE

in Albuquerque (bank) on January 4, 2010. According to the criminal complaint filed in the case, the bank was robbed at approximately 3:45 p.m. by a man who presented a demand note to a teller. After obtaining money from the teller, the bank robber fled from the bank on foot. After the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Albuquerque Police Department (APD) received a number of tips identifying Ortiz as the bank robber, two witnesses identified Ortiz as the robber from a photo array. Also, on September 1, 2010, the FBI received a tip from a person who reported that Ortiz had confessed to robbing the bank. Based on this information, the FBI obtained an arrest warrant for Ortiz.

During this morning’s hearing, Ortiz admitted robbing the bank. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Ortiz is required to pay full restitution to the bank.

The case was investigated by the FBI and APD and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Louis E. Valencia.

Albuquerque Bank Robbers Sentenced to Prison

ALBUQUERQUE—Earlier today in Albuquerque federal court, Albuquerque residents Erik Michael Mathis, 19, and Mondreon Yuson Haywood, 21, were sentenced for their respective bank robbery convictions. Mathis was sentenced to a 42-month term of imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release, while Haywood was sentenced to a 48-month term of imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release. Both men have been in federal custody since their arrests on June 25, 2010.

United States Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said that Mathis and Haywood were arrested for robbing the Compass Bank branch located at

6001 Academy Road NE

in Albuquerque on June 25, 2010. According to the criminal complaints filed against the two bank robbers, Mathis and Haywood entered the bank together at approximately 9:30 a.m. on June 25, 2010 and approached separate bank tellers with verbal demands for cash. In their plea agreements, Mathis and Haywood admitted that Haywood brandished a pair of scissors at the teller when he demanded cash. Mathis and Haywood fled the bank on foot after the tellers provided them with money.

The complaints allege that, based on a tip from a reliable source, officers of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) went to the vicinity of 4537 Samara Road NW in Albuquerque where they observed two men fitting the descriptions of the robbers (the suspects) get into a vehicle; drive to 4537 Samara Road NW (the residence); and pull onto that property. When the APD officers detained the suspects and the vehicle, they observed a pair of scissors on the dashboard of the vehicle. APD officers continued their investigation by arranging for two bank employees to observe the suspects from a distance. They arrested the suspects after both bank employees positively identified the suspects as the men who robbed the bank.

The APD officers identified the suspects as Mathis and Haywood and learned that Mathis resided at the residence. After obtaining permission from the homeowner to clear the residence, the officers observed a large amount of money spread out on a bed in Mathis' bedroom. The APD officers and agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recovered more than $10,000 and other evidence related to the bank robbery from Mathis' bedroom when they executed a search warrant at the residence later that day.

Mathis and Haywood both entered guilty pleas on November 4, 2010 under plea agreements with the United States Attorney’s Office.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jack E. Burkhead and was investigated by the APD and FBI.

Robber Hits Albuquerque Bank in Store

The FBI and Albuquerque Police are investigating a bank robbery that occurred this morning at Wells Fargo Bank, located inside the Albertsons supermarket at

6200 Coors Blvd., NW

.

The robbery happened shortly before 10:30 a.m.

The subject is a white or Hispanic male, 5'10" to 6'2" tall, with a thin to medium build, a moustache, dark glasses, dark cap, and a plaid jacket. He was unshaven and had a light complexion and short hair.

The robber gave a demand note to a teller and left with an undisclosed amount of money.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Albuquerque FBI Office at (505) 889-1300 (24 hours) or Albuquerque Police Crime Stoppers at 843-STOP.

Man Claiming to Have Bomb Robs N.M. Bank

The FBI and Albuquerque Police are investigating a bank robbery that occurred Thursday afternoon (January 27) at First Community Bank,

8251 Golf Course Road NW

, near

Paseo Del Norte Boulevard

.

Witnesses say a black male wearing a stocking mask walked into the bank around 3:40 p.m. and announced he had a gun and a bomb. He had a pistol in one hand and an unidentified object in the other.

The subject left the bank with an undisclosed amount of money. He was seen running south into the Taylor Ranch neighborhood.

Nobody was injured.

The man is described as about 5'8 tall, thin to medium build, and in his 30s to 40s. He wore a navy blue hooded sweatshirt pulled over his head. He also wore dark pants and carried a tan backpack.

A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the subject.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Albuquerque FBI Office at (505) 889-1300 (24 hours) or Albuquerque Police Crime Stoppers at 843-STOP.

California Man Receives 96-Month Prison Sentence for Robbing Albuquerque Bank

ALBUQUERQUE—This afternoon, Senior United States District Judge John E. Conway sentenced Alan Curtis Tukes, 59, a California resident, to a 96-month term of imprisonment to be followed by three years’ supervised release based on his federal bank robbery conviction. Tukes has been in federal custody since September 23, 2009 when he was arrested on a criminal complaint charging him with robbing the Compass Bank branch located at

13140 Central Avenue SE

in Albuquerque. Tukes was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 8, 2009, and on July 21, 2010, a federal jury convicted Tukes of robbing the Compass Bank after a two-day trial.

The trial testimony established that, on September 23, 2009, the Compass Bank was robbed by a man who entered the Bank wearing a black ski-mask and carried a black and red backpack. As he entered, the man yelled out “No, silent alarms! Tellers, all your hundreds!” After a bank teller responded to the man’s demands for cash, the man fled from the bank. Bank employees subsequently described the bank robber as an African American male, approximately 5'10" to 6" in height, with a medium to heavy build, a medium black complexion and a deep and scratchy voice. They also provided details about the robber’s clothing and backpack, which was described as black with red streaks.

Shortly thereafter and based on reliable information, officers of the Albuquerque Police Department followed a light blue vehicle driving west-bound on Interstate 40 to the Tahajaliee exit where they executed a vehicle stop. When they approached the vehicle, the officers observed that Tukes fit the description of the bank robber and noted that he had a deep voice. The officers arrested Tukes when they discovered evidence of the bank robbery, including a large sum of cash, a black ski-mask, a black backpack with red dye stains on it and clothing fitting the description of the clothes worn by the bank robber, in the vehicle.

Evidence presented to the Court by the Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed that Tukes is a suspect in a bank robbery in Rancho Cucamanga, California on August 5, 2009, as corroborated by evidence found in his vehicle when he was arrested on September 23, 2009, and that the red stains on his black backpack appear to be the result of a dye pack that was placed in his backpack when he allegedly robbed the Rancho Cucamanga bank. Court records also reveal that Tukes was previously convicted of two other bank robberies in California and admitted robbing three other banks in California, not including the Rancho Cucamanga bank robbery for which he has not been charged.

Assistant United States Attorneys Louis Valencia and Rumaldo R. Armijo prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department.

Two of Albuquerque's Most Wanted Captured in Warrant Sweep

Albuquerque, NM – On December 15, 2010, the United States Marshals Service and the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) arrested Dennis Font and Valente Estrada, two of Albuquerque’s top five most wanted property crime offenders. Dennis Font, was wanted on felony warrants for: Armed Robbery, Battery on a Peace Officer, Trafficking a Controlled Substance and a Probation Violation. Valente Estrada was wanted on two felony warrants: Transferring/Receiving Stolen Property and Transferring/Receiving a Stolen Vehicle. Font and Estrada were arrested in the early morning hours of December 15th, 2010, by APD and the United States Marshals Service in the Foothills area of Albuquerque. Font and Estrada were two of the eight felons arrested during the round up. The round up targeted felony property crime offenders in the foothills area of Albuquerque.

United States Marshal for the District of New Mexico, Conrad Candelaria, said “The warrant sweep is an example of the United States Marshals Service commitment to working with our local law enforcement partners, by providing assets and resources to better target offenders preying upon any community in the District of New Mexico.”