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A convicted jewel thief who robbed a Bismarck bank early this yr has been sentenced to 4 years in federal prison.
Victor Velazquez, 30, of Bismarck, on Jan. 6 handed a Wells Fargo teller a note that examine “Stay relaxed this is a theft. Vacant until into bag I have a gun,” in accordance to law enforcement. He then informed the teller to quit stalling and that he did not want to damage anybody, and produced a motion as if to get a gun from inside his jacket, according to an affidavit.
Velazquez worked at the Quality Inn just south of the north Bismarck bank. Resort surveillance movie confirmed he was carrying numerous garments goods that matched individuals worn by the robbery suspect. He experienced remaining get the job done about an hour in advance of the theft. He was arrested that night near his North Ninth Street property, in a vehicle also found in surveillance video clip, according to authorities.
Police made use of parole documents to find his household. The affidavit failed to say whether or not officers discovered a weapon.
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Velazquez at the time of the theft was on probation for a Fargo jewellery shop theft about 5 several years previously.
Authorities reported Velazquez went into a Riddle’s Jewellery retail outlet in Fargo on June 29, 2018, armed with a handgun, and directed staff members to spot jewellery inside some baggage. He zip-tied a person worker in the course of the heist. No one was damage. He fled south on Interstate 29 in a van and led police on a chase right before finally pulling over and currently being taken into custody. He was sentenced in January 2019 to 4 decades in jail right after pleading responsible.
Velazquez was sentenced in the Bismarck robbery in U.S. District Courtroom on Wednesday. Decide Dan Hovland sentenced him to 48 months — four a long time — powering bars, with credit score for two months he had expended in point out custody before the case was transferred to federal courtroom.
The federal lender theft demand in opposition to Velazquez carried a greatest sentence of 20 many years in prison. Prosecutors experienced questioned for 57 months — four decades and nine months. Velazquez will be on supervised probation for three yrs next his jail time.
Velazquez acquired away with $2,659 in the Bismarck theft. Hovland ordered him to make full restitution.
Authorities before recovered $2,364 from Velazquez and from his lender account, leaving about $295 unaccounted for, in accordance to Assistant U.S. Lawyer David Hagler.
