Albuquerque Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Brandishing Firearm During Attempted Bank Robbery

ALBUQUERQUE – Darrel Salazar, 48, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court to seven years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for brandishing a firearm during an attempted armed bank robbery. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez, Special Agent in Charge Terry Wade of the FBI’s Albuquerque Division, and Chief Gorden E. Eden, Jr., of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD).

Salazar was arrested on Jan. 12, 2016, by the FBI on a criminal complaint charging him with attempted bank robbery. According to the complaint, on Jan. 11, 2016, Salazar attempted unsuccessfully to rob the Bank of America branch located at 3101 Carlisle Blvd. NE in Albuquerque. Salazar entered the bank where he passed a note demanding cash to a bank teller and brandished a firearm at the teller.

Salazar subsequently was indicted on Feb. 9, 2016, and charged with robbing the Wells Fargo Bank branch located at 5555 Montgomery Blvd., on Jan. 11, 2016; attempting to rob the Bank of America branch located at 3101 Carlisle Blvd. on Jan. 11, 2016; and brandishing a firearm during the attempted bank robbery of the Bank of America on Jan. 11, 2016. According to the indictment, Salazar committed the crimes in Bernalillo County, N.M.

On Oct. 17, 2016, Salazar pled guilty to brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. In entering the guilty plea, Salazar admitted that on Jan. 11, 2016, he entered the Bank of America branch at 3101 Carlisle Blvd. in Albuquerque, armed with a firearm. Salazar further admitted approaching a bank teller, passing a handwritten note demanding money to the teller, and brandishing the firearm at the teller when the teller failed to comply with his demand.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and APD. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Walsh prosecuted the case.