Las Cruces Man Pleads Guilty to Two Bank Robberies

ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces man pleaded guilty in federal court to robbing two banks in February 2025.

According to court documents, on February 12, 2025, Daniel Guereca, 29, robbed the U.S. Bank in Los Lunas, New Mexico.  Wearing a black hoodie and a white mask, Guereca passed a handwritten demand note to two tellers before fleeing the bank with at least $6,000 in cash. Guereca then escaped the scene with the assistance of Breanne Gallegos, 29, who was waiting in the getaway vehicle and who had written the demand note that Guereca used.

Eight days later, on February 20, 2025, Guereca robbed the PNC Bank in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Wearing a green hat, white mask, black hoodie, Adidas jacket, and sunglasses, Guereca again passed a handwritten note, claiming he was armed and demanding $20,000. The teller turned over $3,313 before Guereca fled the bank, leaving the demand note behind. Guereca then escaped the scene with the assistance of, Aarika Cuevas, 35, who was waiting in the getaway vehicle, who had written the demand note that Guereca used for this second bank robbery, and who had entered PNC bank a few minutes before the robbery to assess the feasibility of robbing the bank.

Fingerprint analysis of the demand note recovered from the PNC Bank positively identified Guereca as the robber, and surveillance footage from both incidents showed a suspect matching his height and build.

Photos from US Bank Robbery on Feb. 12, 2025

Photos from PNC Bank Robbery on Feb. 20, 2025

Guereca pleaded guilty to bank robbery and faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Upon his release from prison, Guereca will be subject to three years of supervised release.

Gallegos pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank robbery and faces up to five years in federal prison. Upon her release from prison, Gallegos will be subject to three years of supervised release.  Cuevas is currently charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank robbery and likewise faces up to five years in federal prison if convicted.

Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge 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 the assistance of the Las Cruces Police Department, the Los Lunas Police Department, and the Valencia County Sheriff's Office. Criminal Chief Richard Williams and Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant B. Gardner are prosecuting the cases.