Skip to main content
Press Release

San Miguel County Man Sentenced to Twelve Years for Two-Day Crime Spree in Two Counties and Two Pueblos

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

Lujan Prosecuted as Part of Federal “Worst of the Worst” Anti-Violence Initiative

ALBUQUERQUE – Daniel Lujan, 24, of Las Vegas, N.M., was sentenced yesterday afternoon to 144 months in federal prison for a two-day crime spree that included a bank robbery, the robbery of two convenience stores located in tribal communities, and the robbery of a business involved in interstate commerce.  Lujan will be on supervised release for [three] years after completing his prison sentence.  Lujan also was ordered to pay $51,617.09 in restitution to the victims of his crimes.

Lujan was arrested on Aug. 11, 2011, on a criminal complaint charging him with robbing the Community 1st Bank located at 701 Legion Drive, in Las Vegas, N.M., on Aug. 1, 2011.    In Dec. 2012, Lujan was charged in a four-count superseding indictment with committing the following four robberies:  (1) the Community 1st Bank in San Miguel County, N.M., on Aug. 1, 2011; (2) the Santo Domingo Travel Center in Kewa Pueblo on Aug. 2, 2011; (3) the San Felipe Travel Center in San Felipe Pueblo on Aug. 2, 2011; and (4) the Giant Gas Station, a business engaged in interstate commerce, in Bernalillo, N.M., on Aug. 2011.  The businesses robbed on Aug. 2, 2011, were located in Sandoval County, N.M. 

On Aug. 28, 2014, Lujan entered a guilty plea to all four counts of the superseding indictment and admitted robbing the bank and the three businesses identified in the indictment.

This case was investigated by the Santa Fe office of the FBI with assistance from the Las Vegas Police Department, the Southern Pueblos Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services, the Parole and Probation Division of the New Mexico Corrections Department, the New Mexico State Police, and the 4th and 13th Judicial District Attorneys’ Offices.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis E. Valencia prosecuted the case. 

This case 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.

Updated January 26, 2015