Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Three Bank Robberies

ALBUQUERQUE—This morning in federal court, Danny Kevin Brawner, 49, of Albuquerque, pled guilty to an indictment charging him with three counts of bank robbery under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

At sentencing, Brawner faces a maximum penalty of 25 years of imprisonment for each of the bank robberies. Brawner has been in federal custody since his arrest on April 21, 2011,and remains detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has not yet been set.

U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said that Brawner pled guilty to robbing the following three Albuquerque banks: (1) the Wells Fargo branch inside the Albertson’s Supermarket at 6200 Coors Blvd. NW on February 7, 2011; (2) the First Community Bank branch at 1418 Carlisle Blvd. NE on April 14, 2011; and (3) the Bank of West branch at 5901 Menaul Blvd. NE on April 18, 2011. The criminal complaint filed in the case states that, at each of the three banks, Brawner presented the victim bank teller a note demanding cash and threatening that he had a weapon.

Court filings reflect that the FBI began investigating Brawner after it received a tip identifying Brawner as the individual who robbed the three banks. In addition, investigation revealed that the getaway car used during the April 14, 2011 bank robbery was registered in the name of Brawner’s girlfriend. Thereafter, witnesses to the first two of Brawner’s bank robberies identified him from a photo array. When the FBI and Albuquerque Police Department arrested Brawner, he admitted robbing the three banks.

Under the terms of his plea agreement, Brawner is required to pay full restitution to the three banks that he robbed.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman Cairns.