Mexican National Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robberies of Food Service Businesses

 Held gun to victim’s head – threatened to kill her

DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced that Ramon Uziel Hernandez-Perez, 33, was sentenced to 12 years (144 months) in federal prison for his role in the armed robberies of two Denver food service businesses, including a food truck.   

According to the facts in the plea agreement and court documents, Hernandez-Perez robbed a food truck operating in the parking lot of the 707 Flea Market on N. Federal Boulevard on September 26, 2019.  At around 7:00 p.m., Hernandez-Perez parked his Ford Mustang in the parking lot.  He entered the food truck, where a female employee was working inside. Hernandez-Perez pointed a black semi-automatic handgun at the woman and demanded money.  In fear for her life, the victim retrieved cash from the register and handed it to Hernandez-Perez.  The defendant ordered the victim to the floor, pressed the muzzle of the gun to her head, and threatened that if she alerted the police, he would kill her.  Hernandez-Perez then fled in his Mustang.   

On September 28, 2019, Hernandez-Perez and his co-defendant, Juan Carlos Aguirre-Rodriguez, robbed a food service business operated by two women in the parking lot of 5575 North Logan Street in Adams County.  The defendants arrived in the parking lot early in the morning in Hernandez-Perez’s Mustang.  They waited until two female employees arrived and began setting up their business.  With guns drawn, the defendants approached the women and demanded money.  One of the victims handed over a bag containing the business’s cash.  The defendants then got back in the Mustang and fled. 

Two days later, Hernandez-Perez’s Mustang was found and searched.  Law enforcement found three firearms, including one fitting the description of a weapon used in the robberies.  On October 3, 2019, Hernandez-Perez was arrested in Adams County, Colorado.  A fully-loaded .40 caliber Smith and Wesson handgun was discovered in his waistband.  Hernandez-Perez is a native and citizen of Mexico without lawful status in the United States and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms. 

“Taking dangerous criminals off the street is a core part of the mission of this office,” said Acting United States Attorney Matthew T. Kirsch.  “Building off the great work of our law enforcement partners, the prosecutors in this office ensured that justice was done and made our community a safer place as a result.”

“The FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force is committed to combatting violent crime in our community,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider. “Today’s sentence completes the judicial process for Mr. Hernandez-Perez, and we hope his victims feel safer knowing justice has been served. We thank our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Denver Police Department, Dacono Police Department, and Commerce City Police Department.”

On December 2, 2020, Hernandez-Perez pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act Robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of possessing a firearm by an alien unlawfully in the United States.  United States District Court Judge Daniel D. Domenico sentenced Hernandez-Perez on March 16, 2021, in federal court in Denver.  Co-defendant, Juan Carlos Aguirre-Rodriguez, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act Robbery and is currently serving a sentence of four-and-a-half years in federal prison. 

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, the Denver Police Department, the Dacono Police Department, and the Commerce City Police Department.  Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Dorothy DiPascali  and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Treaster handled the prosecution.

Case number:  19-cr-00524-DDD