Mexican national sentenced for robbing bank

EL PASO, Texas -- A Mexican national was sentenced to 64 months in federal prison Tuesday after pleading guilty to robbing a credit union and illegally re-entering the United States after deportation, U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton announced.

On March 17, 23-year-old Ramon Aguirre-Gueta allegedly approached a bank teller at the Greater El Paso Credit Union and handed the teller a note indicating he was armed and demanded money. The bank teller handed him money, officials said.

Aguirre-Gueta fled to Mexico, and on April 12, he voluntarily surrendered to Customs and Border Protection officers at the Paso Del Norte port of entry, officials said.

Immigration records show that Aguirre-Gueta had been deported in March 2006 after a federal conviction for illegal re-entry.

Aguirre-Gueta pleaded guilty to the bank robbery and illegal re-entry charges on July 15.

In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Frank Montalvo also ordered the defendant to pay $843 in restitution to the Greater El Paso Credit Union, officials said.

The case was investigated by the FBI together with the El Paso Police Department and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Lewis, Jr., prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.