A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City has indicted Joseph Troy Ortega, 57, of West Valley City, Utah, following an alleged robbery at the Cyprus Credit Union. The indictment was unsealed after Ortega was charged by complaint on August 29, 2025.
Court documents state that on August 28, 2025, officers from the West Valley City Police Department and members of the FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force responded to a reported robbery at the credit union. According to allegations, Ortega entered the branch, approached a teller and demanded money. The teller gave him $3,690 in cash before he fled in a black Toyota Rav 4 with an obscured license plate.
Authorities used facial recognition technology provided by the Statewide Information Analysis Center to identify Ortega as a suspect. They determined that a 2011 Rav 4 was registered under his name. Later that day, police observed a Toyota Rav 4 at the intersection of 5600 West and 3500 South. Officers stopped the vehicle and took Ortega—who was alone in the car—into custody.
During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement recovered a wallet containing a large sum of U.S. currency, an envelope with $2,690 inside, narcotics and drug paraphernalia.
Ortega faces one count of credit union robbery. His initial appearance took place on September 15, 2025. A three-day jury trial is scheduled for November 24, 2025 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
“Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.”
The investigation is being conducted jointly by the FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force and West Valley City Police Department.
“Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.”
“This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).”
An indictment represents only an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in court.
