Albuquerque Man Convicted for Series of Ross Store Robberies

In a remarkably quick federal jury verdict, U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and FBI Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Albuquerque had secured a guilty verdict against Jason Pete Roper, 45, for robbing three Ross clothing stores. After a three-day trial that resulted in Roper’s conviction on three counts of robbery, the jury deliberated for less than two hours, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The string of robberies was carried out in less than a month by Roper, who was on federal probation and had previously spent time for an armed bank robbery. He targeted several Ross locations in Albuquerque between August 14 and September 8, 2022, each time bringing tiny objects to the checkout before brandishing a firearm and requesting cash from the registers. The heists brought in about $1,800 in total.

Details of the robberies and testimony of Roper’s strategy of intimidating staff members during the crimes by displaying a silver and black revolver were among the evidence produced during the trial. Roper is awaiting sentencing in custody and could receive a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison due to the conclusive guilty judgment. Prosecutors Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jon Stanford and Samuel Hurtado highlighted the potential severity of Roper’s punishment by emphasizing that there is no parole in the federal system.

The Albuquerque Police Department and FBI Albuquerque Field Office collaborated on the investigations that resulted in Roper’s successful prosecution. Although Roper’s sentencing date was not disclosed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the conviction itself is another example of their ongoing attempts to deal with repeat offenders. Through their announcements, Uballez and Bujanda have both made it obvious that several law enforcement organizations are working together to stop Roper’s illegal operations.

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