A Belen couple has been sentenced for stealing over $10,000 from a general store on the Isleta Pueblo. Frank Hernandez, 44, and Eva Hernandez, 46, were found guilty of federal theft charges after a coordinated burglary was captured on surveillance footage.
Court documents reveal that on February 3, 2023, Frank Hernandez entered Chical Haystack's business office and stole $7,285.75 in cash along with a check worth $3,134.88 from the store’s safe. His wife Eva acted as a lookout during the incident. The footage showed Frank's distinctive neck tattoo which helped in identifying him.
An anonymous tip led to their identification through social media and vehicle-registration searches by an Isleta Pueblo Criminal Investigator on February 7, 2023. The couple was arrested on February 13, 2024.
During police interviews, Frank admitted to using the stolen money to buy drugs while Eva denied knowledge of the theft but acknowledged opiate use.
Frank Hernandez received a sentence of 257 days in prison followed by three years of supervised release with conditions including substance-abuse treatment and community service. He is also required to make full restitution to Chical Haystack and is prohibited from returning to Isleta Pueblo.
Eva Hernandez was sentenced to six months of home confinement with GPS monitoring and will be under supervision for two-and-a-half years afterward. Her conditions include substance-abuse treatment and community service along with full restitution to Chical Haystack. She too is barred from returning to Isleta Pueblo.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez. The case was investigated by the Isleta Police Department with assistance from the Belen Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary Jones and Brittany DuChaussee.