After serving 299 days at the Montezuma County jail under suspicion for armed robbery, an Arizona man was set free last week.
Robert Rodriguez, 39, of Glendale, Ariz., was arrested after an armed robbery near the Ute Mountain Casino on Sept. 11, 2013. Upon a recommendation from prosecutors, the charges were dropped against Rodriguez on Thursday, July 17, after he agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor drug charge.
District Attorney Will Furse predicted an “exceptionally difficult time” to prove the initial charges against Rodriguez, citing the victim was not a credible witness. He added there was no evidence to show the defendant ever “touched a firearm” or was “actively engaged” in the robbery.
Ivan Martin, 26, of Farmington, N.M., received a 10-year sentence in March, after pleading guilty to second-degree assault with intent to cause serious bodily harm in connection to the case.
“Mr. Martin did shoot (the victim),” said Furse. “Mr. Rodriguez did not.”
District Court Judge Todd Plewe accepted the plea deal, and ordered Rodriguez to pay about $1,300 in court costs and related fines.
The victim, currently incarcerated on other charges, was reportedly shot in the right shoulder on the night in question, then ejected from a moving vehicle on U.S. 491.
tbaker@cortezjournal.com
