Justin Brouillette Sentenced to Eleven Years for Conviction on Federal Carjacking and Firearms Charges

Brouillette, Prosecuted Under Federal “Worst of the Worst” Anti-Violence Initiative, Shot at APD Officers Twice while Trying to Evade Capture during Crime Spree

ALBUQUERQUE – Justin Brouillette, 22, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court for his conviction on carjacking and firearms charges, announced U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez, Special Agent in Charge Thomas G. Atteberry of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Gorden Eden, Jr., of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD). Brouillette will serve 132 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martinez said, “Although Brouillette was not a violent, repeat offender and therefore not a typical candidate for federal prosecution under our ‘worst of the worst’ anti-violence initiative, everything changed when he discharged his weapon at officers on July 8, 2015. Our message in prosecuting Brouillette in the federal system us very simple: violence against law enforcement officers will not be tolerated.”

“Today’s sentencing of Justin Brouillette, serves as a harsh reminder that the criminal use of firearms will not be tolerated,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Atteberry. “ATF, along with our law enforcement partners, stands resolute in its commitment to put these trigger pullers behind bars.”

Chief Eden of the APD added, “The effectiveness of our partnership cannot be challenged. Dangerous criminals, especially those who attack our police officers will continue to face the federal criminal justice system. APD is grateful to our federal law enforcement agencies for their dedication and service to keeping our officers and our community safe from dangerous criminals.”

Brouillette was arrested in July 2015, on a criminal complaint after Brouillette used a firearm on July 8, 2015, to shoot at APD officers as they attempted to execute a traffic stop on him as he was driving in southeast Albuquerque. Shortly thereafter Brouillette crashed his vehicle into a Ford, and then attempted to carjack the Ford by brandishing a firearm at the Ford’s owner and ordering him out of the car. While Brouillette was attempting to carjack the Ford, APD officers drove into the area and Brouillette fled on foot after discharging the firearm at the officers for a second time.

Brouillette was indicted on July 30, 2015, and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, attempted carjacking, brandishing a firearm during a carjacking, and brandishing and discharging a firearm during a carjacking. According to the indictment, Brouillette committed these crimes on July 8, 2015, in Bernalillo County, N.M. On that day, Brouillette was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of his status as a convicted felon; he had two felony convictions for receiving or transferring stolen vehicles in the Second Judicial District Court for the State of New Mexico in Bernalillo County.

Brouillette pled guilty to two counts of the indictment charging him with carjacking and discharging a firearm in furtherance of the carjacking on Nov. 6, 2016. In entering the guilty plea, Brouillette admitted that on July 8, 2015, as he attempted to escape from police and collided with another vehicle, he got out of his vehicle, pointed a gun at the other driver and ordered the other driver out of his vehicle. Brouillette also admitted that he attempted to take the other vehicle but it was disabled, he fired shots at the officers who were trying to apprehend him, and then fled on foot.

This case was investigated by the ATF office in Albuquerque and APD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Presiliano A. Torrez prosecuted the case 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. Because New Mexico’s violent crime rates, on a per capita basis, are amongst the highest in the nation, New Mexico’s law enforcement community is collaborating to target repeat offenders from counties with the highest violent crime rates, including Bernalillo County, under this initiative.