Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Western Commerce Bank in September 2013

ALBUQUERQUE—Solas Jansen, 36, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, pleaded guilty this morning to an indictment charging him with bank robbery under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Jansen was arrested on September 29, 2013, based on a criminal complaint charging him with robbing the Western Commerce Bank located at 1910 Wyoming Blvd. NE in Albuquerque on September 24, 2013. Jansen committed the robbery by presenting a demand note to a bank teller who complied with Jansen’s demand for money. As Jansen was leaving the bank, surveillance cameras captured video images of Jansen as he ran away from the bank. On September 26, 2013, after the surveillance camera images of Jansen were broadcast by local media outlets, a tipster contacted the Albuquerque Police Department and identified Jansen as the bank robber. On September 27, 2013, the FBI presented a photo array that included Jansen’s photograph to the victim bank teller, who identified Jansen as the bank robber.

During today’s plea hearing, Jansen admitted robbing the bank. Jansen has been in federal custody since his arrest and remains detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled. At sentencing, Jansen faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque Office of the FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mysliwiec.