After serving 299 days at the Montezuma County jail under suspicion for armed robbery, an Arizona man was set free last week.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
District Attorney Will Furse predicted an \u201cexceptionally difficult time\u201d 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 \u201ctouched a firearm\u201d or was \u201cactively engaged\u201d in the robbery.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Martin did shoot (the victim),\u201d said Furse. \u201cMr. Rodriguez did not.\u201d<\/p>\n
District Court Judge Todd Plewe accepted the plea deal, and ordered Rodriguez to pay about $1,300 in court costs and related fines.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n