FBI Asking for the Public's Help in Finding Dangerous Felon

The FBI Denver Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force is asking for the public's help in apprehending a fugitive from justice. They need any information on Marco Antonio Villarino.

Police believe Villarino is responsible for a series of robberies in Mesa, Arizona. The robberies occurred between September and November of 2004. The robbers were two Hispanic males who used a garden sprayer filled with gasoline to spray the employees and the inside of at least 5 check cashing businesses before fleeing the scene of the robbery. The businesses were all robbed and in at lest two of the robberies, they lit fires before they left. In some of the robberies they wore Halloween masks.

The investigators were able to develop Villarino as a suspect and a warrant was issued for his arrest that charges him with Kidnapping, Armed Robbery, Arson of an Occupied Structure, Aggravated Assault, 1st Degree Burglary, Theft of Means of Transportation and Criminal Damage.

Then on November 21, 2004, at approximately 7:00 p.m., the Denver Police Department (DPD) responded to a call from the El Centenario, a jewelry and clothing store located at 2546 Federal Boulevard, Denver, Colorado. Three Hispanic males had entered the store. Two of them were wearing skin colored face masks. and cash. One of them fired a single shot into the ceiling.

In the investigation of this incident, they were able to determine that Villarino was in deed one of the suspects. A warrant was issued for his arrest charging him with Aggravated Robbery.

There have been several attempts made to arrest Villarino. Twice he was spotted by RMSSTF Agents and DPD Detectives in the Denver, Colorado area, but he was able to avoid arrest. During one of the attempted attests, he was surrounded by Denver Police, but he used his car to ram a police car and was able to escape. They have been able to recover a 9mm handgun from a car he was known to use and a .25 caliber gun from a room where he was staying.

A warrant for Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution was filed in federal in 2006.

He could be in Las Vegas, Nevada or could be traveling between the states of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Nevada.