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Press Release

Albuquerque Man Sentenced to Prison for Robbing Two Fast-Food Restaurants and Brandishing a Firearm During the Robberies

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Mexico
Prosecuted under Federal “Worst of the Worst” Anti-Violence Initiative

ALBUQUERQUE – Sheldon Harris, 28, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court to 114 months in prison for violating the Hobbs Act by robbing two Albuquerque-area fast food restaurants and brandishing a firearm during the robberies. Harris will be on supervised release for two years following his prison sentence. Harris was also ordered to pay restitution to the fast food restaurants.

 

Harris was arrested on April 20, 2016, on a ten-count indictment charging him with: robbing Albuquerque-area Subway restaurants on Aug. 22, 2015, Sept. 6, 2015, Sept. 8, 2016, Sept. 26, 2015, and Oct. 5, 2015; robbing Albuquerque-area Blake’s Lotaburger restaurants on Oct. 1, 2015, Oct. 5, 2015, Oct. 11, 2015, and Oct. 18, 2015; and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence from Aug. 22, 2015 through Oct. 18, 2015. According to the indictment, Harris committed the crimes in Bernalillo County, N.M.

 

On Sept. 12, 2016, Harris pled guilty to Counts 8 and 9 of the indictment, each charging him with violating the Hobbs Act by robbing a business engaged in interstate commerce. He also pled guilty to Count 10, charging him with brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. In entering the guilty plea, Harris admitted that on Oct. 11, 2015 and Oct. 18, 2015, he robbed Blake’s Lotaburger restaurants at gunpoint. Harris further admitted that when he robbed the Blake’s Lotaburger restaurants and several other restaurants in the Albuquerque-area, he used a firearm.

 

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel A. Hurtado prosecuted this case under 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 primarily based on their prior criminal convictions for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.

Updated April 11, 2017

Topics
Firearms Offenses
Violent Crime