Man sentenced 18 months for stealing gloves from Lowe’s, threatening employee

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) -- A Las Cruces man received an 18-month prison sentence for stealing from a Lowe's store and threatening an employee with a gun, the U.S. Attorney's Office District of New Mexico said Wednesday.

36-year-old Saul Gonzalez will not get parole, officials said.

In Jan. 24, 2025, He stole several pairs of work gloves from a Lowe's store in Las Cruces, authorities said. When workers confronted him, he took out a small handgun, authorities said.

He then left with the stolen gloves in a white Dodge van with a woman, according to officials.

On Feb. 2, 2025, Las Cruces Police found the van and stopped it as part of the armed robbery investigation. Gonzalez and the woman denied being involved, officials said.

After searching the van under a warrant, authorities found clothes matching what Gonzalez wore the day of the robbery -- black latex gloves and the stolen work gloves with the tags still on, officials said.

Gonzalez pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by threats or violence, officials said. He will be subject to three years of supervised release when he gets out of prison.