Albuquerque Man Sentenced to Ten Years for Discharging Firearm During Armed Robbery of Convenience Store

Defendant and Six Co-Defendants Prosecuted under Federal “Worst of the Worst” Anti-Violence Initiative

ALBUQUERQUE – Reynaldo Marquez, 26, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court to 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

Marquez was charged in a seven-count superseding indictment that was filed on May 28, 2015.  The superseding indictment added Marquez as a new defendant and two new counts to a five-count indictment previously filed on Jan. 21, 2015.  The original indictment charged six Albuquerque residents – Raymond Castillo, 27, Daniel Maestas, 36, Johnny Ramirez, 33, Frank Gallegos, 31, Reyes Lujan, 27, and Henry Lujan, 23, with conspiracy, commercial armed robbery and firearms offenses.

The superseding indictment charged the original six defendants with conspiring to interfere with interstate commerce by robbing a Wal-Mart Store located in Bernalillo County, N.M., on Oct. 29, 2014.  It also charged Castillo with discharging a firearm during the robbery of the Wal-Mart store; Maestas with using and carrying a firearm during the robbery; and Ramirez, Gallegos, Reyes Lujan and Henry Lujan with aiding and abetting the use of firearms during the robbery.  The two new charges in the superseding indictment charged Marquez and Castillo with interfering with interstate commerce by robbing a 7-11 convenience store located in Bernalillo County, N.M., on Dec. 7, 2014, and Marquez with discharging a firearm during that robbery.

On Sept. 1, 2016, Marquez pled guilty to Count 7 of the superseding indictment charging him with discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.  In entering the guilty plea, Marquez admitted discharging a firearm during a robbery that occurred on Dec. 7, 2014.

Marquez’s six co-defendants previously have entered guilty pleas.  Reyes Lujan was sentenced on March 8, 2016, to 71 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, Gallegos was sentenced on Sept. 8, 2016, to 71 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and Ramirez was sentenced on Oct. 6, 2016, to 71 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.  The three remaining co-defendants are in custody pending their sentencing hearings.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Albuquerque Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Norman Cairns and Samuel A. Hurtado are prosecuting this case.

This case is being prosecuted 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. In recognition that New Mexico’s violent crime rates, on a per capita basis, are amongst the highest in the nation, New Mexico’s law enforcement community has come together to is collaborating the initiative is significantly exceed the national average.