Albuquerque Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for 5 Bank Robberies

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations’ Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Jason Smeltzer was sentenced to 27 months in prison. Smeltzer, 41, of Albuquerque, pled guilty to 5 counts of bank robbery on March 22, 2023.

According to court documents, between Jan. 20 and Feb. 23 of 2022, Smeltzer robbed four Albuquerque banks, one of which he robbed twice. On Jan. 21, the FBI received a tip through the National Threat Operation Center identifying Smeltzer as a possible suspect. Following the fifth robbery on Feb. 23, Robbery Detectives from the Albuquerque Police Department initiated surveillance on Smeltzer’s residence and observed Smeltzer wearing clothes consistent with the description given to them by a teller at the bank. When Smeltzer left his residence, APD Detectives initiated a traffic stop and Smeltzer was taken into custody.

Upon his release from prison, Smeltzer will be subject to 3 years supervised release.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations Albuquerque Violent Crimes and Gangs Task Force investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Nelson is prosecuting the case.

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