Man gets 10 years for armed robbery, drug, escape charges

LAS CRUCES - An alleged gang member is headed to prison for 10 years after pleading guilty to armed robbery, heroin possession and a near-escape from the Doña Ana County Detention Center.

Javier Enrique Molina, 31, received three concurrent sentences for the three separate cases Wednesday and "accept(ed) responsibility for the cases and expressed a desire to change his life," Assistant District Attorney RoxAnne Esquibel said.

On July 28, 2009, Molina and then-17-year-old Bobby Ray Perea robbed a World Finance Corp. employee at gunpoint as she left with about $900 in deposits, according to Esquibel. After taking the woman's cell phone and bank bag, Molina, Perea, the alleged gunman, and driver Jesse Paul Sosa, then 32, allegedly drove to Molina's house, changed clothes, removed the car's license plate and attempted to hide the money, but the three were found and arrested soon after.

"There appeared to be some gang component to it, based on some of the statements made at the time and prior information as to Molina and Sosa," Esquibel said. Molina, she said, "had been involved in a gang" at some point.

Molina was subsequently foiled in an attempted escape from the Do-a Ana County Detention Center in June when he tried to pose as a fellow inmate who was about to be released from jail on a traffic charge, according to court documents.

When officers called for his sleeping cellmate, Molina took the man's personal paperwork, from which he gathered the man's date of birth,

Social Security number and other information. He was taken to a locker room and allowed to dress in the civilian clothing his cellmate had arrived in, and signed a court form, a release order and bond with his cellmate's name.

Steps away from leaving the booking area, Sgt. Richard Ybarra recognized Molina - stopping him just before he left the checkpoint and proceeded through series of doors toward the lobby. Molina 's identity was confirmed through photographs - plus a tattoo on his stomach reading "Molina."

Molina, had been in jail since a June 11 arrest for heroin possession, when it was revealed he had outstanding warrants. His was the ninth thwarted escape from the jail in the past eight years, according to detention center records.

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