Albuquerque Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison for Robbing Bank in January 2012

Prior Felon Prosecuted Under Federal “Worst of the Worst” Anti-Violence Initiative

ALBUQUERQUE – Abran Felipe Armijo, 46, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced yesterday to 151 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for his bank robbery conviction.  The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez, Special Agent in Charge Carol K.O. Lee of the FBI’s Albuquerque Division, and Albuquerque Police Chief Gorden Eden, Jr.

Armijo was arrested on Jan. 4, 2012, and charged by criminal complaint with robbing the BBVA Compass Bank branch located at 13140 Central Avenue SE in Albuquerque on that day.  Armijo subsequently was indicted on that same charge.

Court filings reflect that on Jan. 4, 2012, Armijo entered the bank, verbally demanded money from a bank teller, and threatened the teller to comply with his demand.  After the bank teller gave money to Armijo, he fled from the bank on foot.  Acting on a tip, officers of the Albuquerque Police Department located Armijo in an apartment in southeast Albuquerque where he was hiding in a closet with a plastic bag containing money.  Armijo was arrested after a witness positively identified him as the bank robber.

On July 25, 2013, Armijo pled guilty to the indictment without the benefit of a plea agreement. 

Armijo’s sentence in this case was enhanced because of his status as a career offender. He was convicted of a crime of violence after having been previously convicted of at least two crimes of violence, two controlled substances crimes or a combination of the two types of offenses.

Armijo was prosecuted as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution.  Under this anti-violence initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis E. Valencia based on an investigation by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department.