Man Charged After Allegedly Robbing Fellow AA Meeting Attendees, Complaint Says He Used $5 to Buy Drink at Bar
Published: April 17th 2026
Photo: Ramsey County Jail
SAINT PAUL MN: A man has been charged in Ramsey County District Court after a criminal complaint alleges he used a knife to rob fellow attendees of an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, then later told police he used the $5 obtained during the incident to buy a drink at a bar.
Joseph Lazaro Nelson Luna, 28, is charged with one count of first-degree aggravated robbery under Minnesota law. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or a $35,000 fine.
According to the criminal complaint, St. Paul Police Department officers were first dispatched at about 3:40 p.m. April 14 to a residence in the West Side after relatives requested Luna be removed from the property. The complaint states family members reported Luna was upset after asking for money and being refused.
Later that evening, at about 9:48 p.m., officers were dispatched to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting location in the West Side on a report of a robbery.
The complaint alleges Luna attended the meeting despite being previously unknown to others there. Witnesses told police Luna made comments about wanting to rob the group when the meeting ended and was repeatedly going in and out of the building.
According to the complaint, after the meeting concluded, Luna allegedly approached several fellow attendees outside, demanded money, and pulled a black folding knife from his sweatshirt pocket. Victims told police they were afraid. One victim stated he believed Luna might cut him and did not feel free to leave.
The complaint states one attendee said he did not have money, then obtained $5 from another attendee and handed it to Luna. Luna allegedly looked at the money, used profanity, and walked away.
Police were initially unable to locate Luna.
On April 15 at about 8:15 p.m., one of the victims reported seeing Luna outside a bar in the West Side. Officers responded, located Luna inside the bar, and arrested him, according to the complaint.
During a search incident to arrest, officers allegedly recovered a black and silver folding knife from Luna’s back pocket that matched the description provided by witnesses.
The complaint further states that during a post-Miranda interview, Luna allegedly admitted going to the meeting to ask people for money. He also allegedly told officers he pulled out the knife and demanded money because he believed the attendees had cash. According to the complaint, Luna said he received $5 and used it to buy a drink at a bar.
Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.