APD Arrests Metro 15 Offender Lester Bottoms After SWAT Stand-Off

April 4, 2019

APD Auto Theft detectives tracked down a Metro 15 offender who was wanted for armed robbery. Lester Bottoms, 33, was arrested late Friday by SWAT officers following a stand-off in Southeast Albuquerque.

Throughout the last several weeks a white Jeep fled from several traffic stops. The Jeep was found to be registered to Lester Bottoms who had felony warrants.

APD Auto Theft Detectives, working with New Mexico State Police Auto Theft agents and APD Street Crimes officers, located the Jeep Friday parked at 410 Vermont NE and conducted surveillance. As Detectives approached, Lester ran inside the residence and refused to exit.

Because of his history of violence and running from law enforcement, a tactical activation was initiated. A search warrant for the residence was obtained and Bottoms eventually exited the residence and was taken into custody. Bottoms was booked into MDC on his warrants.

Prior to the SWAT activation, officers also arrested Donald Waits, 50, and Anthony Blais, 31, as they exited the residence. Both were wanted on two felony warrants each for dangerous drugs.

The Metro 15 Operation is a targeted component of Mayor Keller’s Violence Intervention Program – a proactive effort to attack violent crime from all sides.

The Metro 15 is a working list of the top 15 violent crime offenders in Albuquerque identified by the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office, the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office, the state Office of Superintendent of Insurance, and APD.