Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Bank Robbery Charge

ALBUQUERQUE – Jesus Manuel Almanza, 23, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty yesterday in federal court to a bank robbery charge.  Almanza entered the guilty plea without the benefit of a plea agreement.

The FBI arrested Almanza in April 2018, on a criminal complaint charging him with robbing the Wells Fargo bank branch located at 7827 4th Street NW, in Albuquerque on April 24, 2018.  According to the complaint, Almanza jumped over the teller station in the bank, demanded money, opened the bank teller’s drawer, and took its contents.  Almanza then stole money from another bank teller before casually walking out of the bank and departing the area in a vehicle.

According to the complaint, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) was able to obtain a residential address in Albuquerque, based on the registered owner of the vehicle in which Almanza left the scene of the bank robbery.  Later that day, BCSO deputies arrested Almanza at the Albuquerque residence.  Thereafter, the FBI executed a consensual search at the residence with the homeowner’s consent and seized a large sum of cash and found the vehicle in the garage.     

Almanza was indicted on May 9, 2018, and was charged with bank robbery on April 24, 2018, in Bernalillo County, N.M.

Almanza was remanded into custody after entering his guilty plea; he will remain detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.  At sentencing, Almanza faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard Thomas is prosecuting the case.