Vato Maldito, My life of crime, by John "Bubbles" Gallegos, edited by Raoul Vehill

We arrived in Denver sometime in June, 1969. Many of my friends whom I had grown up with came to visit at my parent's house. Within a few days I landed a job working at a foundry, where one of my older brothers was a supervisor.

I called my Parole Officer in Oakland and told him that I had a job and would like to transfer my parole to Denver. But his supervisor told him to order me back to California before my 30 day pass expired.

That very day a friend of mine since childhood came to our house, drunk as a skunk, and admitted to e that he and Peggy had had a love affair while I ad been in Santa Rita, and Peggy had been in Denver. e wanted my forgiveness and claimed to be so in love with Peggy that he could not relinquish her. He even anted me to beat him up. I was hurt, and very angry, but I could not bring myself to beat up on a drunk. I thanked him for telling me the truth.

I caught a flight to Oakland that night. The next ay I went to see my Parole Officer and his Super to eceive permission to transfer my parole to Colorado, but really, I didn't want to return to Denver after earning of my wife's affair. genuinely wanted to remain in California and was still In deep hurt. I figured that her and Orlando would get together and that would be the end of it. But she was going to have my child, and I was looking forward to that. I couldn't just walk away. She called me at her mother's house that night, and begged my forgiveness. She sounded sincere, so I relented and flew back the next day. I resumed my job at the foundry.

In December, with only a week remaining till the baby's arrival, a friend of mine paid me a visit at the home of my parents. Leonard was his name. I had done time with him in '61 and '62 in Buena Vista.

"John," he said, "I have a trial coming up next week for robbery. I still owe my lawyer $5000 dollars. I don't know who else I can turn to, John. Will you go on a job with me to help me out?"

"I don't know Leonard," I said. "I have a good job now. My wife is in the hospital ready to have our baby. I just can't drop everything and risk my freedom to help you out. Can't you find someone else?"

"You're the only one I know who can do it John. I just don't trust anyone else," he said. "Please help me, brother."

I thought about it for a few moments. I needed a house of our own for my wife and soon to be daughter, and baby furniture for the baby's room. What I earned at work just couldn't cover it all. "Okay," I decided. "You're on. Get the weapons we'll need, some coveralls, gloves and masks if you can."

The next day, Leonard picked me up, 30 minutes before I was to leave for work. We drove to the super market I had in mind, which was just a few blocks from my abode. We parked the getaway car about a half block down the alley in the rear of the store. The market had a rear entrance, through which we entered. We ran down the hallway which led all the way to the front where the cash registers were. There were about a half dozen of them which we quickly cleaned out. We left the store the way we had entered, got into our stolen car and drove to my house. We quickly split the take in the bathroom, while my parents watched the evening news on television. As soon as we were through splitting the money, I heard my brother Joe honking his horn out front, picking me up to go to work. I placed my share in my lunchbox and went out the front door while Leonard left through the rear.

The entire robbery could not have taken us more than 20 minutes, from the time Leonard picked me up, to the time I left for work. It probably took us longer to count the money than the robbery and getaway took. When my daughter Johnna was born a few days later, I had our own completely furnished house ready for them.

Leonard went to trial with his famous criminal trial lawyer, Walter, and won the case. He also presented Walter with a top coat with a mink collar. In those days, 30,000 dollars was like over $100,000 at today's value. We had made a good score.

1969 was a very good year for me. My daughter was born the first week of December. Ironically, one of the best friends I've ever had passed away. Frank, whom I had served time with in California, was killed at his job in a foundry. His job was to line the huge floor molds with fire bricks. Apparently he pulled a brick out of the bottom of the pile and the whole pile collapsed on top of him. By the time he was found, he was dead. In February of 197O, my brother returned from Nam, safe and sound. He bought our parents a new house. He even bought me a pickup. In April, my brother Richard and I began working for the City of Denver, Parks and Recreation Division.

Sometime in January of 197O, I had robbed a liquor store. A friend of mine, Chuck, and his girl had been with me. Originally, we were to have robbed a payroll. But when we arrived to hit the score, a supermarket, they got cold feet. I was very disappointed in them. They were driving me home and we stopped at a liquor store to get some beer. "Park in the rear," I told Chuck. "I'm going to hit this place."

There were two people working the store. I put on a pair of sunglasses and my handkerchief around my face. I demanded the money, which they hurriedly gave me. While exiting the store, I noticed that Chuck had pulled up to the entrance. But I walked to the rear parking lot, hoping that the people in the store would not realize that Chuck and his girl were my getaway drivers. But they saw the car as we drove away. We got to my house and divided the money. I told Chuck to remain at my house for awhile, for I knew that the police would be on the lookout for his car. But he was so elated at having so much in his pocket that I couldn't talk him into sitting tight for awhile.

They were stopped and arrested blocks from my house. Chuck's girl had ratted on me but she did not tell the cops where I lived. But they knew who I was and put out an APB on me. I had a court appearance in mid June which I was out on bond for. I went to court with my attorney. Two detectives from the robbery detail were there also. I was arrested and run through a lineup before a bunch of people the cops thought I might have robbed, but no one could identity me.

The cops picked up Chuck's girl to see if she would be a witness against me. But my wife Peggy told her that it I went down for the robbery that we had pulled, she would come to regret it very much. She must have believed because she refused to testify against me. So I was released. But I had lost my job with the city behind it. The Court sentenced Chuck to 5 to 8 years for the robbery.

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