Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

District of New Mexico

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, July 24, 2017

Albuquerque Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Bank Robbery Conviction

ALBUQUERQUE – William Colbert, 38, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced on July 21, 2017, in federal court to 41 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction on bank robbery charges.

Colbert and co-defendants Joleen Sedillo, 42, and Abel Lopez, 31, both of Albuquerque, were arrested in July 2016, on a criminal complaint charging them with bank robbery charges. The criminal complaint alleges that Colbert, Sedillo, and Lopez robbed Bank of the West branches located at 5401 Central Ave. NE and 7900 Wyoming Blvd. NE on June 22, 2016 and June 27, 2016, respectively, and attempted to rob the Bank of the West branch located at 5228 Central Ave. SW on July 14, 2016.

Colbert, Sedillo, and Lopez were indicted on Aug. 10, 2016, and charged with conspiracy to commit bank robbery in June and July 2016; bank robbery on June 22, 2016 and June 27, 2016; and attempted bank robbery on July 14, 2016. According to the indictment, the three defendants committed the crimes in Bernalillo County, N.M.

On April 5, 2017, Colbert pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank robbery and to aiding and abetting an attempted bank robbery. In entering the guilty plea, Colbert admitted accompanying Sedillo and Lopez to the Bank of the West branches they planned to rob. Colbert further admitted that on July 14, 2016, he entered a Bank of the West branch while disguised with the intent to commit a robbery but left without obtaining any money.

On April 7, 2017, Lopez pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank robbery and to aiding and abetting an attempted bank robbery. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Lopez will be sentenced within the range of 27 to 33 months in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

On March 28, 2017, Sedillo pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank robbery and to aiding and abetting an attempted bank robbery. Sedillo was sentenced on July 14, 2017, to 27 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Murphy is prosecuting the case.