Brelyn Sanchez, 37, of Ogden; Fidel Ybarra, 52, of Riverdale; and Thomas Domingo Bustos, 31, of Layton were first charged on Aug. 26 by complaint.

“According to court documents, on September 4, 2026, officers with the South Salt Lake Police Department and members of the FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force responded to a robbery that occurred in South Salt Lake City, Utah,” the release stated. “The credit union teller reported a male, later identified as Ybarra, entered the credit union carrying a backpack and passed a note to the teller that demanded cash and indicated he was holding an explosive device in his backpack. Ybarra then opened the backpack displaying what appeared to be an improvised explosive device. As a result, the teller handed Ybarra $1,234.00. Ybarra exited the credit union and fled in a red Dodge Durango. Sanchez was later identified as the driver. Through surveillance video, law enforcement identified a second vehicle, a red BMW, in connection with the robbery. Both vehicles were registered to Bustos. The investigation revealed that Bustos planned the robbery, created the hoax explosive device out of fireworks and duct tape, and drafted the demand note. Sanchez and Ybarra then met up at a residence and Bustos took the money.”

According to the federal criminal complaint, Ybarra told investigators in an interview that Bustos held him responsible for losing $19,000 at a Wendover casino, and that Bustos threatened both Ybarra and Ybarra’s family if the money wasn’t paid back.

Bustos picked Ybarra up on the morning of the robbery, the complaint continued, and told him he was going to rob a bank to pay the money back.

The complaint reads that Bustos wrapped black duct tape around fireworks to make something that looked like a bomb.

Sanchez, according to the complaint, admitted to being the Dodge Durango driver and dropping a male off near the credit union but didn’t know exactly what the male suspect would do.

“She was of the understanding that the suspect was going to collect money from a female that owed him money,” the complaint read. “Brelyn indicated she knew they were involved in criminal activity. A few minutes later, the suspect came running back to the Durango and jumped in the passenger side seat and told her to drive away.”

Sanchez also acknowledged, the complaint read, that while driving Ybarra around and before he exited the vehicle, Ybarra mentioned owing Bustos $9,000 and “was going to do what was needed to pay him the money he was owed.”

The initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for Friday at 11 a.m. at the Orrin G. Hatch United States Courthouse in Salt Lake City, the release states.

The FBI Salt Lake City Field Office’s Violent Crime Task Force as well as the South Salt Lake City Police Department jointly investigated the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda, according to the release.

Contact Standard-Examiner editor Ryan Comer at rcomer@standard.net.