Peter Pagan, Discharging Firearm During Armed Robbery, NM 2015

ALBUQUERQUE — Peter Pagan, 23, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced yesterday to 147 months in federal prison for discharging a firearm during the attempted armed robbery of a Blake’s Lotaburger on San Antonio Drive. The Jan. 27, 2015, incident turned violent in seconds when Pagan, armed with a loaded handgun, stormed into the restaurant, pointed the weapon at employees, and demanded cash.

When the staff couldn’t open the register fast enough, Pagan fired one round into the ceiling, sending debris raining down and employees diving for cover. He then fled the building, only to be confronted by a customer attempting to intervene. Pagan responded by unloading nine rounds into the man’s vehicle, narrowly missing him. No one was physically injured, but the psychological toll on witnesses and staff has lingered for years.

The criminal complaint, filed in October 2015, laid bare the brazen nature of the attack. Federal prosecutors charged Pagan under the Hobbs Act, which criminalizes interference with commerce through robbery or extortion. A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment on Nov. 17, 2015, charging Pagan with attempted Hobbs Act robbery and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence in Bernalillo County.

On Aug. 8, 2016, Pagan stood in federal court and pleaded guilty to both counts. He admitted under oath to entering the restaurant armed, demanding money, and firing into the ceiling when met with resistance. His guilty plea spared victims from reliving the trauma at trial — but did nothing to soften the severity of the crime in the eyes of the court.

State charges were dropped in favor of federal prosecution, a strategic move under a broader anti-violence initiative targeting New Mexico’s most dangerous repeat offenders. With violent crime rates in the state consistently exceeding the national average, federal and local agencies have intensified collaboration to remove high-risk individuals like Pagan from communities for extended periods.

The investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Albuquerque Police Department, with support from the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul H. Spiers and Rumaldo R. Armijo handled prosecution. Pagan will serve 147 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release.