According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ruben Jose Trujillo, 39, committed a series of four armed robberies in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, in October 2024.
Source: Department of Justice
ALBUQUERQUE – After a week-long trial, a federal jury convicted a Las Cruces man of carrying out four armed robberies in October 2024, including a robbery in which he fired a gun at a store employee who had fled into a back office—nearly grazing her head with the bullet he fired.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ruben Jose Trujillo, 39, committed a series of four armed robberies in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, in October 2024. On October 5 and October 21, Trujillo robbed two Circle K convenience stores in Las Cruces, pointing a firearm at the employees while demanding cash. On October 27, Trujillo robbed a Subway restaurant in Las Cruces, again threatening an employee with a firearm and demanding money.
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On October 28, 2024, Trujillo broke through the glass front door of a Family Dollar store in Vado, New Mexico, and pointed a handgun at two employees. When the employees fled into a room and locked the door, Trujillo fired through the wall, nearly grazing one employee's head with a bullet. The employee was left with a burn mark near her eyebrow for approximately two weeks because of the drywall fragments (or possibly even the bullet) grazing her head at a high rate of speed. Trujillo then stole cash and a cash register drawer before fleeing the store.
Investigators identified Trujillo through surveillance footage, which captured distinctive tattoos, clothing and a noticeable limp. On October 29, 2024, law enforcement arrested Trujillo at a residence in Las Cruces. A search of his vehicle and the residence uncovered a firearm, ammunition, a stolen cash register drawer, and clothing matching items worn during the robberies. Subsequent forensic testing linked Trujillo to the firearm and confirmed that it had fired the bullet recovered from the Family Dollar robbery. Trujillo, who had previously been convicted of multiple felonies, including unlawful possession of a firearm, was prohibited from possessing firearms. On December 4, 2024, federal agents returned to the residence to arrest Trujillo on a federal warrant. Trujillo fled on foot but was apprehended after a brief pursuit. He has remained in federal custody since that time.
Trujillo was convicted by a federal jury of four counts of interference with commerce by robbery and four corresponding counts of using, carrying, and brandishing (and in one case discharging) a firearm during each of those four robberies, along with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Following the verdict, the Court ordered that Trujillo remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Trujillo faces not less than 31 years and up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office and Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Grant Gardner and Richard Williams are prosecuting this case.
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