A Rio Rancho man could face over 10 years in prison after being accused of holding up an Allsup’s convenience store with a black handgun. 

At about 6:45 a.m. June 5, Rio Rancho police officers were dispatched to a call at 4400 Ridgecrest Drive in reference to an armed robbery. 

Earlier that morning, 41-year-old Adrian Sticher received a ride to the gas station by a friend in a white Infiniti because Sticher needed money because his house “was falling apart.” 

“Adrian told him he better drive him to Allsup’s or something bad would happen,” a criminal complaint states.

When they arrived at Allsup’s, Sticher told him he would be back and he should park on the side of the building. When Sticher came back he had a box with a black handgun and money in it. 

The suspect told his friend to go to his house and park in the back. 

Sticher went inside the house wearing black clothes, but took some of it off. He reportedly threw the clothes in a trash can then later hid the gun under a pillow on his bed. 

When the officers arrived, he briefly ran before being caught. 

The suspect told officers that he never left his house that morning. However, video surveillance showed a man wearing a black jacket with blue jeans, black gloves and a black beanie with a white fox symbol on the front pointing the firearm at the employee, according to the complaint.  

A white vehicle was also seen on the video that “was consistent with the one in the backyard,” the complaint states. 

When asked about the white vehicle that had been covered in blankets in the backyard, Sticher said it belonged to a friend. 

As for the money, he told a detective that it was in a safe at home, adding that he was going to share the money with people in the house, the complaint states. 

During the investigation, officers saw tinfoil with burn marks and blue pills inside a room with camera monitors on it. The officer said he believed the pills were “consistent with being Fentanyl pills.”  

Sticher is being accused of armed robbery, a second-degree felony, and conspiracy to commit armed robbery, a third-degree felony. 

He made no plea at his June 6 initial appearance. 

If convicted, he could face up to 12 years in prison and pay a $15,000 fine. 

It is unknown if additional charges for the pills will be pursued.