ALBUQUERQUE – Joseph Dino Lopez, 59, of Albuquerque, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman.
This case was adopted from state prosecution in cooperation with the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Lopez had previously been convicted of a total of nine felonies at the time of the offense. After completing his term of imprisonment, Lopez will be required to serve 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The incident occurred on November 13, 2022, at a Church’s Chicken drive-thru on Broadway Blvd SE in Albuquerque. A husband and wife were waiting for food at the drive-thru when Lopez approached their car, banged on the window, and yelled at them while appearing under the influence, according to court documents.
Surveillance footage shows Lopez retrieving a blue bag containing a shotgun and approaching the victims’ parked car. After an altercation where the male victim pepper sprayed him, Lopez pulled out the shotgun, loaded it, and pointed it at the couple before they fled. Lopez briefly left the scene to wash the pepper spray out of his eyes, but returned, and APD arrested him as he exited the Church’s Chicken restaurant. The loaded shotgun was recovered from the blue bag he had left behind, and additional ammunition was discovered in his shirt pocket.
The Albuquerque Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Haynes prosecuted the case as part of an agreement with the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office. This agreement allows Assistant District Attorneys to be designated as Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) in the United States Attorney’s Office, screening felony criminal complaints filed in Bernalillo County for federal criminal offenses.
Through this program, the United States Attorney’s Office has reviewed almost 3,000 cases and has charged more than 300 criminal cases since 2020. The office has similar agreements with the New Mexico Department of Justice and the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office and plans to expand the program throughout the state.
The United States Attorney’s Office praised the collaboration between law enforcement agencies and the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office for their work on this case. The case highlights the importance of holding individuals accountable for their actions, particularly those who drive violence in our community.
Related Federal Cases
- Albuquerque Felon Jeter Pleads Guilty to Gun Possession · New Mexico
- Carlsbad Felon Lozuaway Admits to Gun Possession · Colorado
- Albuquerque Man Cowey Edsitty Pleads Guilty to Firearm Possession · New Mexico
- Albuquerque Felon Jarvis Johnson Cops to Gun Charges · New Mexico
- Roswell Felon Michael Dalton, 34, Convicted of Illegal Gun Possession · New Mexico
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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