MAN FROM COLORADO PLEADS GUILTY TO FEDERAL CHARGES ARISING FROM DEADLY CRIME SPREE NEAR LAS CRUCES IN 2017

ALBUQUERQUE – Daniel Lowell, 35, of Pueblo, Colo, pleaded guilty in federal court in Las Cruces today to carjacking resulting in death and other offenses stemming from a crime spree in Doña Ana and Luna Counties on November 27, 2017.  

​            According to court records and statements made on the record in court, Lowell took part in the crime spree with Trista Schlaefli, 32, of Colorado Springs, Colo.  It began at an immigration checkpoint on Interstate 10.  Lowell approached the checkpoint in a stolen vehicle and could not produce identification. A Border Patrol agent directed Lowell to secondary inspection. However, Lowell sped away with Schlaefli in the stolen vehicle driving more than 100 miles per hour.

​            After fleeing the checkpoint, one of the tires on the truck blew out.  Lowell approached another vehicle with a family inside, including two small children.  Lowell threatened the driver at gunpoint and demanded they give him their vehicle.  Lowell carjacked the vehicle and took off with Schlaefli.

​            From there, Lowell stole some spark plugs from a store that he intended to use to break into other cars. However, before Lowell could do that, police tried to pull Lowell and Schlaefli over in the stolen vehicle.  Lowell and Schlaefli took off driving recklessly and speeding with police chasing them.  During their flight, they crashed into a motorcyclist, who died from the impact of the collision.  

​            Lowell and Schlaefli continued to attempt to evade law enforcement.  Lowell tried to carjack another vehicle, but the driver resisted.  Eventually, a team of law enforcement officers stopped Lowell and Schlaefli and arrested them.  Lowell had a stolen firearm and at least fifteen stolen credit cards with him at the time of his arrest.

​            Schlaefli previously pleaded guilty on November 13, 2018, to an indictment charging her with carjacking resulting in death, high-speed flight from an immigration checkpoint, carjacking, attempted carjacking, aiding and abetting brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of unauthorized access devices.  She is awaiting sentencing at a future date.

​            On June 19, 2019, a federal grand jury in Las Cruces returned a second superseding indictment against Lowell.   Today, he pleaded guilty to all charges including carjacking resulting in death, attempted carjacking,  high-speed flight from an immigration checkpoint, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, possession of a stolen firearm, transportation of a stolen vehicle, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of unauthorized access devices.  

​            Lowell is currently in custody.  At sentencing, he faces up to life in prison for carjacking resulting in death, 15 years in prison for attempted carjacking, 5 years in prison for flight from an immigration checkpoint, 7 year in prison for brandishing a firearm, 10 years in prison for possession of a stolen firearm, 10 years in prison for transportation of a stolen vehicle, 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and 10 years in prison for possession of an unauthorized access device.

​            The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, U.S. Border Patrol, the New Mexico State Police Department, the Las Cruces Police Department, the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office, the Pikes Peak Community College Campus Police, the Colorado Springs Police Department, the Pueblo Police Department, the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office, the Fountain Police Department, and the Colorado State Patrol investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa A. Ong and Aaron Jordan are prosecuting the case.