A terrifying robbery at a neighborhood Woodburn market has now landed the gunman behind bars for nearly 16 years. On Wednesday, 27-year-old Marcus Guzman-Barajas was sentenced to 190 months in prison after admitting to an armed grocery store heist that left employees certain they might be killed.
Court filings say Guzman-Barajas forced workers to crawl on the floor at gunpoint and repeatedly threatened to kill them during the April 2024 robbery. No employees were physically injured, but the judge concluded the level of violence and fear he created warranted a long sentence.
According to court records and the Marion County District Attorney’s Office, as reported by KPTV, the holdup unfolded at El Torito Market in Woodburn. Witnesses told investigators Guzman-Barajas pointed a handgun at a cashier’s head and ordered her to open a safe. When she could not do it, he hurled the safe onto the floor in frustration. Other employees slipped into the back of the store to call police, while a customer was forced to kneel on the ground.
How the robbery unfolded
Prosecutors say the terror did not stop there. Guzman-Barajas then ordered a second employee to crawl across the floor to the register while repeating, “I swear I will kill you,” according to KPTV. What was supposed to be a routine shift turned into something closer to a movie-style hostage scene, except the workers had no script and no guarantee of a safe ending.
Officers with the Woodburn Police Department arrived as Guzman-Barajas tried to leave the property and detained him outside the market. Investigators later found the handgun tossed in nearby grass, KPTV reported.
Sentence and charges
According to KOIN, Guzman-Barajas pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree armed robbery and one count of unlawful use of a weapon. The judge sentenced him to 190 months in the Oregon Department of Corrections.
In a written statement, the Marion County District Attorney’s Office said the prison term “reflects the serious nature of the crime” and emphasized that multiple victims were “genuinely and reasonably in fear for their lives.” Prosecutors told the court that using a firearm inside a busy neighborhood market made the situation especially dangerous for both staff and shoppers.
Police response and aftermath
Prosecutors also credited employees for acting quickly under pressure, including those who found a way to call 911 while the gunman was still inside, according to KOIN. Officers recovered the firearm during the arrest, and authorities reiterated that, while no one was physically hurt, the victims’ fear was very real.
The market remains open for business, continuing to serve the neighborhood where the armed robbery played out. Officials have not announced any further related arrests or developments.
Why it matters
The case highlights just how vulnerable front-line retail workers can be when an armed robber walks through the door. Marion County prosecutors said the lengthy sentence was intended not only to account for the trauma inflicted on the victims but also to send a message about the stakes when guns are involved in robberies.
