Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Three Armed Robberies at Local Businesses

            ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Lalonzo Simmons, 44, of Albuquerque, NM, pleaded guilty today in federal court to committing three armed robberies with another man in 2018.

            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.  Simmons also pleaded guilty to a felony information charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

            Simmons admitted in his plea agreement that he committed these armed robberies at businesses in Albuquerque over the course of two months.  Simmons admitted another man assisted him in these robberies, and that both of them possessed firearms during the crimes.

            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 faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of interference with interstate commerce by robbery or violence.  He faces from 10 years to life in prison for using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. 

            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 2^nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office, a joint initiative designed to reduce violent crime in Albuquerque.