LAS CRUCES - A convicted felon has admitted to robbing a Las Cruces couple en route to church just over a year ago.

Mark Floyd Yandell, 47, pleaded guilty to two counts of armed robbery, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, larceny and aggravated drunken driving. A charge of aggravated burglary with a deadly weapon was reduced to auto burglary as part of Monday's plea agreement.

The victim and his wife were leaving their Carlyle Drive home the morning of Dec. 6, 2009, when Yandell confronted them with a pocket knife and demanded their money and jewelry, said Deputy District Attorney Jacinto Palomino.

The victims gave Yandell $11 in cash and a Timex watch, after which Yandell ran down the street and jumped into a vehicle the victims were able to describe to authorities, Palomino said. Las Cruces police officers in the area quickly stopped Yandell, who appeared "highly intoxicated" but wouldn't submit to breath or blood tests, Palomino said.

It's unknown what Yandell's motive was.

According to court records, Yandell was convicted in 2004 of burglary, larceny and being a habitual offender, and in 2002 of aggravated burglary and larceny. Previously, he had been convicted of charges from 1995 of unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, burglary, forgery of a driver's license, credit card theft and fraud.

District Court Judge Stephen Bridgforth is scheduled to sentence Yandell on Monday.

Jailed since his arrest Dec. 6, 2009, Yandell faces a minimum

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of eight years for his prior felony convictions, and could be sentenced to more than 50 years in prison.

Ashley Meeks can be reached at (575) 541-5462.