Albuquerque Man Jailed 5.5 Years for Armed Robbery of Gun Store

ALBUQUERQUE – A 53-year-old Albuquerque man has been sentenced to 66 months in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges arising from the armed robbery of a Federal Firearms Licensee in Albuquerque in 2022.

Court documents revealed that Dawayne Yates, 53, entered the Big 5 Sporting Goods Federal Firearms Licensee located at 2720 San Mateo Blvd. NE in Albuquerque on April 29, 2022, and requested to inspect a rifle. After confirming his identity, an employee handed Yates a Ruger Mini-14 rifle. Yates then pulled out a handgun, pointed it at the employee, and demanded another rifle. Fearing for her life, the employee gave Yates an Dickinson, model XX3D-M-2, 12-gauge shotgun.

The stolen firearms, a Ruger Mini-14 rifle and a Dickinson, model XX3D-M-2, 12-gauge shotgun, were never recovered. However, a 9mm Taurus pistol, a .22 caliber Remington rifle, ammunition, body armor, and suspected fentanyl pills were recovered from a local motel where Yates was arrested on May 2, 2022.

According to court documents, Yates has prior felony convictions that prohibit him from possessing firearms or ammunition. Yates was arrested at a local motel on May 2, 2022, after a victim identified him from a photo lineup and fingerprint evidence from the crime scene matched Yates.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Yates will be required to serve five years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, announced the sentencing today.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Patrick E. Cordova prosecuted the case.

There is no parole in the federal system, meaning Yates will serve the entirety of his sentence without the possibility of early release. The case serves as a reminder of the consequences of committing violent crimes, particularly those involving firearms.