Espanola Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Bank Robbery Charge Arising Out of Robbery of Bank in Taos County

ALBUQUERQUE – Troy Montoya, 24, of Espanola, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to a bank robbery charge. The guilty plea was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney, Special Agent in Charge Terry Wade of the Albuquerque Division of the FBI, Sheriff Jerry L. Hogrefe of the Taos County Sheriff’s Department and Town Marshal David Smith of the Red River Marshal’s Office.

Montoya, and co-defendants Jennifer Marissa Miera, 23, of Questa, N.M., and Shawn Michael Goodrum, Jr., 20, of Pima, Ariz., were arrested in Oct. 2016, on a criminal complaint charging them with offenses arising out of the robbery of the People’s Bank located at 121 East Main Street in Red River, N.M., on Oct. 6, 2016.

According to the complaint, Miera, conspired with Montoya to rob the bank by planning the robbery and purchasing items used to carry out the robbery, including gloves and medical masks, on Oct. 5, 2016. It further alleged that Miera and Montoya robbed the bank on Oct. 6, 2016. At the time, Miera was employed as a personal banker by the bank. The complaint alleged that Miera had attempted unsuccessfully to solicit Goodrum’s participation in the bank robbery conspiracy. Instead, Goodrum allegedly blackmailed Miera into giving him part of the proceeds from the robbery by threatening to report her role in the robbery to the police.

Montoya, Miera and Goodrum were indicted on Nov. 1, 2016. The three-count indictment charged Miera and Montoya with conspiracy to rob the bank and with bank robbery, and Goodrum with receiving proceeds from the bank robbery. According to the indictment, the defendants committed the crimes in Taos County, N.M.

During today’s proceedings, Montoya pled guilty to Count 1 of the indictment charging him with conspiracy. In entering the guilty plea, Montoya admitted that from Oct. 5 through 11, 2016, he acted with Miera and helped her facilitate the robbery of the People’s Bank in Red River on Oct. 6, 2016. Montoya did so by meeting with Miera to plan the bank robbery, purchasing disguise items, preparing a demand note and serving as the get-away driver of the bank robbery. At sentencing, Montoya faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

On March 14, 2017, Miera pled guilty to Counts 1 and 2 of the indictment charging her with conspiracy and bank robbery without the benefit of a plea agreement. At sentencing, Miera faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

Goodrum has entered a plea of not guilty to the charge against him in the indictment and is pending trial, which currently is scheduled for May 22, 2017 in Santa Fe, N.M. Charges in criminal complaints and indictment are merely accusations. Criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI, the Taos County Sheriff’s Office, and the Red River Marshal’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul H. Spiers.