Convicted bank robbers face life in prison
On Tuesday, a week-long trial before U. S. District Judge David C. Goodbey concluded with the federal jury convicting Jason Montes, 21, and Margarito Armijo, 20, both of Grand Prairie, of various felony offenses relating to nine armed bank robberies they committed in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in 2006.
Prosecutors with the U. S. Attorney called 45 witnesses and brought out evidence that showed Montes and Armijo were part of a “take-over” crew of robbers, armed with large caliber pistols and dressed in black.
Montes and Armijo would enter the banks, threaten employees and customers with death if they did comply with their instructions, then assault the bank tellers at gunpoint for the money. They carried out each bank robbery in less than a minute.
The jury deliberated 30 minutes before convicting Montes and Armijo of felony charges that includes:
- 8 counts of conspiracy to commit bank robbery
- 16 counts of using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence
- 8 counts of bank robbery
U. S. Attorney Richard Roper said both Montes and Armijo face up to life in prison.
In September 2007 a co-defendant Luis Favila, 20, also of Grand Prairie, pled guilty to various felony charges in two of the bank robberies, Roper said.
Montes and Armijo committed the following armed robberies in 2006:
- July 8 – Wells Fargo Bank, 1889 Brown Blvd., Arlington
- July 28 – Wachovia Bank, 3636 W. Northgate Dr., Irving
- August 5 – Bank of America, 5400 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving
- August 11 – Chase Bank, 2530 Fort Worth Ave., Dallas
- August 12 – Bank of America, 720 N. Watson Rd., Arlington
- September 5 – Compass Bank, 5980 S. Cooper, Arlington
- September 14 – Citibank, 2450 Hall Johnson Rd., Grapevine
- September 16 – Wells Fargo Bank, 1050 Market Place Blvd., Irving
- September 30 – Regions Bank, 743 N. Highway 67, Cedar Hill
