New Mexico Woman Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery of Gallup Insurance Agency

A New Mexico woman pleaded guilty in federal court for an armed robbery of a Gallup insurance agency.

Amber Yazzie, 29, of Gamerco, pleaded guilty to robbery and federal firearms charges for her role in the armed robbery of C & R Insurance on Dec. 4, 2021.

The criminal complaint states she entered the firm with two of her co-defendants, while a fourth co-defendant waited outside in a vehicle. Yazzie reportedly brandished a firearm, yelled at the employees to turn over money, and threatened them before firing the gun into the ceiling.

One witness inside the business getting a quote for insurance states she heard a pop, then saw two males and female walk in, and the female yelled to see everyone’s hands and to get on the ground.

Another witness, a C & R employee, said one of the male accomplices walked over to her and pointed a handgun at her, asked for money and pointed to the drawer on her right side. The witness later heard one of the accomplices yell, “If the cops are called, we’ll come back.”

Following the robbery, Yazzie and her accomplices traveled to Albuquerque, where they used some of the stolen funds for a shopping spree at a local mall, according to surveillance footage and receipts recovered by law enforcement.

A silver in color bullet casing was recovered at the business by the Gallup Police Department. The Speer, nickel plated .40 Smith & Wesson casing appeared identical to casings recovered by the department the day before the robbery at a homicide scene in Gallup. Yazzie has been charged by the department with that homicide.

C & R Insurance is a family-owned business with four locations in New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado. C & R Insurance primarily sells insurance from Safeway Insurance, Dairyland Insurance and Gainsco Insurance, according to the criminal complaint.

The business owner estimates 85% of his customers pay in cash and that those involved in the robbery “appeared to know exactly where to go to get the cash,” the complaint states. They reportedly stole more than $4,000 from the cash registers. The business owner’s records show Yazzie’s mother has been a customer.

Yazzie faces not less than 10 years and up to life in prison.

The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety, the Navajo Nation Police Department, the Gallup Police Department and the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.

Topics Mexico New Mexico