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Press Release

Rio Rancho Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Two Bank of Albuquerque Branches in July 2014

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE – Joshua Abeyta, 21, of Rio Rancho, N.M., pleaded guilty today to two bank robbery charges. 

Abeyta was arrested on July 10, 2014, on a criminal complaint charging him with robbing two Bank of Albuquerque branches located in Albertson’s supermarkets.  Abeyta was charged with robbing the first bank branch, located at 4300 Ridgecrest Drive SE in Rio Rancho, on June 30, 2014, and the second, located at 10131 Coors Boulevard NW in Albuquerque, N.M., on July 8, 2014.

On July 24, 2014, Abeyta and a  co-defendant, Angelica Donna Casados, 26, also of Rio Rancho, were indicted on July 24, 2014, and charged with two counts of bank robbery.  Casados was arrested on July 29, 2014. 

According to the court filings, Abeyta robbed the first bank branch on June 30, 2014, by presenting a bank teller with a note that included a warning that someone would get hurt if the teller did not comply with his demand for cash.  Abeyta fled from the supermarket after obtaining cash from the teller.  On July 8, 2014, Abeyta approached a bank teller at the second bank and again obtained cash from the teller after presenting a note demanding cash.  Casados allegedly aided and abetted Abeyta in robbing the two bank branches. 

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

Casados has entered a not guilty plea to the charges in the indictment and is scheduled for trial on Nov. 17, 2014.  Charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI with assistance from the Rio Rancho Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Brawley.

Updated January 26, 2015