Lamy Man Receives 24-Month Sentence for Federal Attempted Bank Robbery Conviction

ALBUQUERQUE—This morning in Albuquerque federal court, Luke Korzec, 29, was sentenced to a 24-month term of imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release based on his attempted bank robbery conviction. Korzec, a resident of Lamy, New Mexico, has been in federal custody since his arrest on August 11, 2010. Korzec also is required to pay $12,566.42 in restitution to cover the costs of repairs for property damage sustained by the bank during Korzec’s unsuccessful effort to rob the bank.

United States Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said that Korzec was arrested for attempting to rob the First National Bank of Santa Fe (bank) located on 2021 Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe on August 11, 2010. According to the criminal complaint, law enforcement authorities received a call shortly before 5:00 a.m. that day reporting that the bank had been broken into and perhaps robbed. When conducting their investigation of the scene, special agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) observed damage to the Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) located at the front of the bank indicating that someone attempted forcibly to remove the ATM from the wall. The exterior door to the bank also showed extensive damage indicating that someone had attempted forcibly to pry the door open. Another exterior glass door of the bank had been shattered. Surveillance video form the bank revealed that a male subject attempted to gain access to the ATM and later entered the bank through the shattered door. Once inside, the subject attempted unsuccessfully to access the cash drawers at the teller counters before leaving the bank.

Later that morning, an officer of the Santa Fe Police Department observed Korzec, who matched the description of the subject on the video surveillance tape, and approached him. When approached by an FBI agent, Korzec admitted that he was responsible for damaging the bank in his unsuccessful attempt to rob the bank. Korzec was arrested by the FBI and charged by criminal complaint that day. Thereafter, on August 25, 2010, Korzec was charged with attempted bank robbery in a one-count indictment.

Korzec entered a guilty plea to the indictment on November 5, 2010 under a plea agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office. In his plea agreement, Korzec admitted that he attempted to rob the bank and that he caused damage to the bank during his unsuccessful bank robbery attempt.

Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly A. Brawley prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Santa Fe Police Department.