Man indicted on federal charges in connection with series of robberies

A man accused of carrying out a slew of robberies in the Las Vegas Valley in March was indicted Tuesday on federal robbery and immigration charges in connection with the crimes, the U.S. attorney in Nevada said.

Enrique Hurtado, 34, faces a series of charges in connection with the crimes, the most serious being armed bank robbery and use of a firearm during a violent crime.

Federal officials allege that Hurtado was in the country illegally when he committed eight robberies in Clark County last month. They said he was deported twice last year-- in January and July.

If he is convicted on all federal charges with their maximum penalties, Hurtado could spend the rest of his life in prison. He faces up to $1 million in fines.

Greg Brower, the U.S. attorney in Nevada, said enforcing maximum penalties on violent criminals such as Hurtado is a priority. "We will continue to work with local law enforcement on violent crime investigations and we will prosecute those cases which can be most effectively adjudicated in the federal system," he said in a statement.

Hurtado was in the Clark County Detention Center Tuesday night. He is accused of robbing convenient stores, banks and the Opera House Casino. During that crime, police allege he fired two shots, at least one of them at the cashier. The cashier was not hit.

Hurtado was captured by police last month after leading them on a five-mile chase. Hurtado's crashed the Cadillac he was driving into a palm tree after the right-front tire blew out when he ran over a spike strip set up by police to stop him.