Parole axed for bank heist driver

Friday, March 3, 2000 | 10:13 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The state Parole Board Thursday denied the application for release for Carlos A. Gurry, the driver of a getaway car in a bank robbery in Las Vegas in which an FBI agent was shot to death.

Gurry, 37, will have to wait a maximum three years before he can re-apply for release from his first term of life in prison with the possibility of parole. Even if he is paroled, he would have to start serving a second life term and would not be eligible for parole for 10 more years.

FBI officials, even Director Louis Freeh, have petitioned the Parole Board to deny parole for Gurry, who was sentenced to consecutive life terms with the possibility of parole in the shooting of FBI Special Agent John Bailey on June 25, 1990.

Gurry last month declined to appear at the Parole Board hearing in Lovelock, where he is serving his time. He told parole officials he wanted to pursue his court appeals first to get his conviction overturned.

If Gurry is ever released, immigrations officials have a hold on him to be deported.

Gurry's accomplice, Jose L. Echavarria, received the death sentence. He is appealing his conviction and sentence.

Echavarria, disguised as a woman, entered Security Pacific Bank in Las Vegas and pulled a gun on the teller. She screamed, and he started to walk out. Bailey ordered Echavarria to stop and fired a warning shot.

Echavarria dropped the gun, and Bailey placed him in a chair, but when the FBI agent tried to handcuff him, Echavarria jumped out of the chair. During a scuffle, Bailey fell to the floor, and Echavarria retrieved Bailey's gun. He fired several shots at the downed agent, hitting him three times.

Echavarria then ran to the waiting car driven by Gurry, and they sped away. Gurry was later arrested at a Las Vegas apartment he shared with Echavarria, who was found in Mexico.