Attempted Bank Robber Sentenced to 64 Months in Prison

     TUCSON, Ariz. – Yesterday, Richard Ortega Elenes, Jr., 41, of Tucson, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 64 months in prison. Elenes had previously pleaded guilty to attempted bank robbery.

     On June 29, 2015, Elenes entered a Wells Fargo Bank in Tucson, Ariz., and handed a note to a bank teller which stated: “I need all of your money now.” The teller pressed an alarm button and announced that she was being robbed. Elenes then walked out of the bank and entered a waiting taxicab. He was captured by police within 30 minutes.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Tucson Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Raquel Arellano, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER: CR-15-01971-TUC-JGZ

RELEASE NUMBER: 2017-081_Elenes

# # #

For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.