Lalonzo Simmons, Armed Robbery, New Mexico 2018

Lalonzo Simmons, 44, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, has pleaded guilty to three armed robberies that took place in the city in 2018. Simmons, along with another man, committed the robberies at local businesses over the course of two months. He faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of interference with interstate commerce by robbery or violence, as well as 10 years to life in prison for using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

Simmons pleaded guilty to three counts of an indictment charging him with interference with commerce by robbery and violence and one count of using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. He also pleaded guilty to a felony information charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to the plea agreement, Simmons and the other man robbed a fast food restaurant on March 19, 2018. During this robbery, Simmons accidentally discharged an assault rifle behind the counter. Later in the robbery, Simmons pressed his rifle to the back of a store employee to force the employee to open a cash register. The other man shot his gun while in a back room of the restaurant with another employee. Both Simmons and the other man fled the store with cash from the register.

In his plea agreement, Simmons admitted that he and the other man also robbed a marijuana dispensary on April 3, 2018. They ordered employees at gunpoint to sit down. The other man grabbed cash from a register. Both men also stole marijuana products from the store before fleeing.

Simmons also admitted that he and the other man also robbed a different marijuana dispensary on May 1, 2018. This time Simmons used a pistol in the offense. Simmons stood guard at the door while the other man fired his gun into the ceiling, threatened employees and customers, and stole money and marijuana products.

Police arrested Simmons at his home a few hours after the third robbery. Simmons had a rifle with an obliterated serial number at his home at the time of his arrest.

Simmons currently is in custody awaiting sentencing. He previously was convicted of an unrelated charge of armed robbery with a deadly weapon, theft of means of transportation, aggravated battery with great bodily harm, conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary, and false imprisonment.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case with the Albuquerque Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Trembley prosecuted the case as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s “SAUSA Partnership” with the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office, a joint initiative designed to reduce violent crime in Albuquerque.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nm/pr/albuquerque-man-pleads-guilty-three-armed-robberies-local-businesses