Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

District of New Mexico

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Career Criminal from Santa Fe Sentenced to 13 Years for Armed Bank Robbery Conviction

Defendant Prosecuted as Part of “Worst of the Worst” Anti-Violence Initiative

ALBUQUERQUE – Michael Crespin, 43, of Santa Fe, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 13 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his armed bank robbery conviction.  The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez, Special Agent in Charge Terry Wade of the FBI’s Albuquerque Division, and Chief Patrick Gallagher of the Santa Fe Police Department.

Crespin, whose extensive criminal history includes convictions for a prior bank robbery, armed robbery and several burglaries, was prosecuted under a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution.  Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders primarily based on their prior criminal convictions for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.  Because New Mexico’s violent crime rate, on a per capita basis, is one of the highest in the nation, New Mexico’s law enforcement community is collaborating to target repeat offenders from counties with the highest violent crime rates under this initiative.

Crespin and codefendant Sonya Padilla, 42, also of Santa Fe, were arrested in May 2014, on a criminal complaint charging them with robbing the First National Bank of Santa Fe located at 4995 Governor Miles Road in Santa Fe on May 5, 2014.  According to the complaint, Crespin robbed the bank by brandishing a gun at the bank tellers and demanding money.  He left the bank with the money and was driven away by Padilla.

Crespin and Padilla were indicted on May 21, 2014, and charged with armed bank robbery.  The indictment was superseded on May 28, 2015, to charge Crespin and Padilla with violating the Hobbs Act on April 28, 2014, in Santa Fe County by robbing the Plaza de Centro America market and the First National Bank of Santa Fe with a dangerous weapon on May 5, 2014, in Santa Fe County.

On Sept. 4, 2015, Crespin pled guilty to armed bank robbery, and admitted that on May 5, 2014, he robbed the First National Bank of Santa Fe while armed with an airsoft pistol, which he waved around and pointed towards bank tellers while he demanded money.

Padilla pled guilty on March 7, 2016, to attempted interference with interstate commerce by robbery and violence and admitted that on April 28, 2014, she and Crespin attempted to rob the Plaza de Centro America market in Santa Fe.  Under the terms of her plea agreement, Padilla will be sentenced to a maximum of 24 months in prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.  A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Santa Fe office of the FBI and the Santa Fe Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Walsh is prosecuting the case.