Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery of a McDonald’s Restaurant

ALBUQUERQUE – Pablo Salgado-Cervantes, 25, of Albuquerque, N.M., pleaded guilty today in federal court to violating the Hobbs Act and the federal firearms laws by brandishing a firearm during an armed robbery of a McDonald’s restaurant on Sept. 3, 2014.

Salgado-Cervantes was charged on Sept. 4, 2014, in a criminal complaint with robbing the McDonald’s restaurant located at 5900 Menaul NE in Albuquerque at gunpoint on three separate occasions:  July 1, 2014, July 9, 2014 and Sept. 3, 2014.  The criminal complaint also charged him with robbing the McDonald’s restaurant located at 8315 Montgomery Blvd. NE in Albuquerque at gunpoint on July 9, 2014.

On Jan. 21, 2015, Salgado-Cervantes was charged in a five-count indictment with four counts of violating the Hobbs Act by robbing a business involved in interstate commerce and one count of brandishing firearms during crimes of violence.

Salgado-Cervantes was arrested on the federal charges on Feb. 9, 2015, after he was transferred into federal custody from state custody where he was facing related state charges.  The state charges were subsequently dismissed in favor of federal prosecution.

During today’s proceedings, Salgado-Cervantes pled guilty to Counts 4 and 5 of the indictment.  In entering his guilty plea, Salgado-Cervantes admitted that on Sept. 3, 2014, he robbed the McDonald’s restaurant located at 5900 Menaul NE.  He also admitted brandishing a firearm to coerce an employee to give him money from the safe.  Salgado-Cervantes further admitted hitting the employee with the butt of his firearm before fleeing from the restaurant with the cash he stole.

At sentencing, Salgado-Cervantes faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the Hobbs Act violation.  He faces a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison on the firearms charge which must be served consecutive to any sentence imposed on the Hobbs Act charge.  Salgado-Cervantes remains in custody pending sentencing which has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Albuquerque Police Department with assistance from the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Presiliano Torrez is prosecuting the case.