Albuquerque Man Sentenced to Almost Twenty-Seven Years for Armed Bank Robbery Spree in 2013

ALBUQUERQUE – James Charles Mollohan, 36, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced this afternoon to 332 months (26.83 years) in prison followed by five years of supervised release for his conviction on four armed bank robbery charges and using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.  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 Chief Gorden E. Eden, Jr., of the Albuquerque Police Department.

U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez said that Mollohan was prosecuted as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution.  Under this 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 FBI has been taking dangerous bank robbers off the streets since the days of John Dillinger and Pretty Boy Floyd.  Anybody who thinks he or she can become America's newest Public Enemy #1 better brush up on some history and find another line of work fast,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Carol K.O. Lee.  “The FBI is proud of its partnership with the Albuquerque Police Department, the New Mexico Corrections Department Probation and Parole and the U.S. Attorney's Office.  Together, we are making a difference in our communities.”

“The Albuquerque Police Department is indebted to our federal law enforcement partners who recognized the extreme danger James Charles Mollohan was to our community,” said APD Chief Gorden Eden.  “As a result of this federal anti-violence initiative, Mollohan will no longer threaten our community.”

Mollohan was arrested on Feb. 1, 2013, on a criminal complaint charging him with the armed robbery of the New Mexico Educators Federal Credit Union branch located at 3205 Coors Blvd. NW in Albuquerque.  On that day, Mollohan approached a bank teller, pointed a handgun at the teller, and demanding money.  As the teller opened the cash drawer in response to Mollohan’s demand, the teller surreptitiously activated an alarm before handing cash to Mollohan.  Mollohan was arrested in the vicinity of the bank shortly thereafter by an FBI agent and an APD officer who were in the area and responded to a radio transmission alerting them of the bank robbery.  Mollohan was in possession of a loaded semi-automatic handgun and a significant amount of cash when he was arrested.

On March 7, 2014, Mollohan pled guilty to a five-count felony information charging him with four counts of armed bank robbery and possession of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.  In entering his guilty plea, Mollohan admitted robbing at gunpoint the following Albuquerque-area banks:  the Bank of Albuquerque branch located at 3301 Coors Blvd. NW on Jan. 12, 2013; the New Mexico Bank and Trust branch located at 6201 Riverside Plaza Lane on Jan. 29, 2013; and New Mexico Educators Federal Credit Union located at 3205 Coors Blvd. NW on Jan. 29, 2013 and again on Feb. 1, 2013.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department with assistance from the Probation and Parole Division of the New Mexico Corrections Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Barth.