A federal jury sitting in Albuquerque, N.M., returned a guilty verdict against Francisco Melgar-Cabrera, 31, on Hobbs Act robbery and felony murder charges stemming from the armed robberies of two Albuquerque-area restaurants and murder of Stephanie Anderson in June 2009.
The guilty verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez, Special Agent in Charge Thomas G. Atteberry of the Phoenix Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Special Agent Carol K.O. Lee of the Albuquerque Division of the FBI, and Chief Gordon Eden, Jr., of the Albuquerque Police Department.
In announcing the guilty verdict, U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez said, “Although today’s verdict cannot restore the loss of Stephanie Anderson, I hope that it will bring a measure of comfort and closure to her family and friends.”
Francisco Melgar-Cabrera, a Salvadoran national, was arrested on Sept. 14, 2013, by Salvadoran law enforcement authorities, and was extradited to the United States on May 21, 2014. By that time, Melgar-Cabrera’s three co-defendants had entered guilty pleas and had been sentenced.
“I am extremely proud of the work of this office and our law enforcement partners. I would like to recognize the investigative efforts of ATF Special Agents and especially the efforts of ATF Special Agent Paul Jessen, who for years doggedly pursued Melgar-Cabrera for his role in the 2009 murder of Stephanie Anderson,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Thomas G Atteberry.
The long delay in bringing Melgar-Cabrera to trial was occasioned by his flight to El Salvador shortly after Ms. Anderson was murdered.
Defendant: Francisco Melgar-Cabrera
Criminal Charges: Hobbs Act robbery and felony murder
City and State: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Exact Date: June 2009
Sentence or Outcome: Guilty verdict
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Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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