District of New Mexico
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Shiprock Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Assault on a Federal Officer and Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Deon Joe Bidtah was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Bidtah, 24, of Shiprock, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pled guilty on Nov. 3, 2023, to assault with a dangerous weapon, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and assault on a federal officer with a deadly and dangerous weapon.
According to publicly available court records, on Oct. 11, 2022, Bidtah approached a vehicle parked at his neighbor’s house in Shiprock and fired two rounds from a 12-gauge shotgun into the vehicle. The driver, Jane Doe, was struck and injured by the gunfire. Jane Doe was immediately transported to the San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington by her friend whom she was visiting. Jane Doe suffered a 1 cm ballistic fragment in her right buttocks/rear upper thigh area. Records also noted gunshot wounds on her left buttock, right buttock, and right thigh.
Navajo Nation police officers responded to the incident location, including one officer who, by virtue of a special law enforcement commission, is considered a federal officer. Bidtah approached the officers carrying the 12-gauge shotgun and fired toward the officers. Officers took cover behind their patrol units and commanded Bidtah to stop and drop his weapon. Bidtah ignored the commands, reloaded the shotgun, and continued to walk towards the officers. In response, officers fired two rounds at Bidtah, striking him in the leg.
Upon his release from prison, Bidtah will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. McGinley is prosecuting the case.
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Nigerian National Pleads Guilty to Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Uchenna Christian Nlemchi pleaded guilty in federal court to one count each of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Nlemchi, 31, a Nigerian national, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Nlemchi on May 24, 2017. According to publicly available court records, in 2015, Nlemchi opened a bank account in Houston, Texas in the name of Jay Auto & Machine Parts, a fictional business, with the intent to siphon proceeds of political corruption in Nigeria to another individual in Nigeria. Between September 2015 and February 2016, Nlemchi received $868,295 into the account. Nlemchi withdrew approximately $167,000 in cash in person, $32,000 from ATMs, and transferred $75,000 to his personal bank account. Nlemchi transferred the rest of the money to various businesses and individuals at the direction of his co-conspirators.
In his plea agreement, Nlemchi admitted that he learned the money was procured through romance scams that his co-conspirators were running, not political corruption, and that by receiving the money, he facilitated the scams.
Nlemchi was arrested on the indictment in June of 2017 and released on conditions pending trial. In Oct. of 2017, Nlemchi violated the conditions of his release, and an arrest warrant was issued. At that time, Nlemchi fled the country and was believed to have returned to his native Nigeria. The FBI pursued Nlemchi for five years before locating him in Hungary. Nlemchi was extradited to the United States and arrested on June 6, 2023.
The Albuquerque Division of the FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department during the extradition process. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Peña is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement###
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Mescalero Man Charged with Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Ronnie Pernell Evans appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with assault by strangulation and/or suffocating a spouse or intimate partner. Evans, 20, of Mescalero, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the criminal complaint, on Nov. 8, 2023, Evans confronted Jane Doe’s outside her house and they got into an argument. When Jane Doe tried to enter the home, Evans blocked her path and grabbed her by the throat with one hand and the back of her head with the other and began pushing her towards her car. Evans and Jane Doe tripped over something on the path and Jane Doe fell backwards and hit the back of her head on concrete. Evans got back up and continued dragging Jane Doe towards his car, at which point a neighbor intervened and Evans fled the scene.
Responding officers later stopped Evans on Highway U.S. 70 and arrested him.
A criminal complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the current charge, Evans faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joni Autrey Stahl is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint# # #
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Federal Jury Convicts Albuquerque Man of Federal Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that on Jan. 30, 2024, a federal jury returned two guilty verdicts against Walter Palmon Eddings, 40, of Albuquerque, after approximately two hours of deliberation. The jury convicted Eddings of two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Judge Kea W. Riggs presided.
A federal grand jury issued an indictment against Eddings on Feb. 24, 2022. According to evidence presented at trial and other publicly available court records, on Jan. 31, 2022, during a joint operation between the New Mexico State Police (NMSP) and the Albuquerque Police Department to apprehend a homicide suspect, a NMSP tactical team was surveilling the Ambassador Inn Hotel in Albuquerque. Prior to surveillance, the team was told that Eddings, who had recently been released from federal supervision, was known to frequent the Ambassador Inn, was a convicted felon, and may be armed and dangerous.
While conducting surveillance, several team members observed Eddings at the Ambassador Inn. Eventually, a team member observed Eddings follow another man, who was carrying a rifle in a soft case with the barrel sticking out, to the parking lot. The other man placed the rifle in the back seat of a vehicle. A short time later, a team member observed Eddings clean the same vehicle and reposition the rifle within the vehicle. Three individuals then entered the vehicle, including Eddings, and left the Ambassador Inn property. Officers followed the vehicle to a 7-Eleven gas station, where the team confronted Eddings and arrested him. At the time, Eddings was carrying a backpack with two stolen firearms inside.
Eddings will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Eddings faces up to 20 years in prison. Eddings has numerous prior felony convictions including for armed robbery, kidnapping, unlawfully stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee, breaking and entering, and larceny.
The FBI Violent Crime Task Force investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Trembley and Patrick E. Cordova are prosecuting the case.
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Canoncito Man Pleads Guilty to Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Landen Toledo pleaded guilty in federal court to voluntary manslaughter. Toledo, 20, of Canoncito, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to publicly available court records, on May 27, 2022, Toledo, Cole Ray Shorty and Keon Apachito went to the home of John Doe to retrieve Shorty’s backpack. The group approached John Doe while he was seated in the driver’s seat of his car. When Shorty opened the back door of the car to look for his backpack, John Doe got out of the car with a baseball bat. Toledo grabbed John Doe by the wrists and threw him to the ground and kicked him in the stomach several times, causing John Doe to drop the baseball bat. Shorty picked up the baseball bat and hit John Doe on the head with the baseball bat. Others in the group hit John Doe’s with a golf club and stomped on his leg. John Doe fell to the ground and tried to crawl away. Shorty hit John Doe in the head again, then the group left John Doe unconscious on the ground. The Office of the Medical Inspector’s found that the cause of John Doe’s death was blunt head trauma.
Cole Ray Shorty pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter on January 19, 2024, and faces up to 15 years in prison. Apachito remains out of custody pending trial, which is currently scheduled for June 10, 2024.
At sentencing, Toledo faces up to 15 years in prison.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
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Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder of a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Roberto Esquivel pled guilty to one count each of attempted murder of an officer of the United States, aggravated assault of an officer of the United States with a deadly weapon, discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and conspiracy to transport illegal aliens. Esquivel, 25, of El Paso, Texas, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Esquivel on April 19, 2023. In his plea agreement, Esquivel admitted that on Jan. 5, 2023, he agreed with other persons to transport five illegal aliens who had unlawfully come to the United States. Esquivel was to pick up the aliens in El Paso, Texas, and transport them to Deming, New Mexico. After picking up the aliens, Esquivel was driving on New Mexico State Road 146 when he was pulled over by a Border Patrol Agent. As the agent was approaching Esquivel’s vehicle to conduct an immigration inspection, Esquivel removed a gun from the center console and placed it under his right leg. When it became apparent to the agent that Esquivel was transporting aliens, he asked Esquivel to exit the vehicle. Instead, Esquivel partially opened the door and began shooting, hitting the agent twice in the torso-area. After shooting the agent, Esquivel sped off. While fleeing, Esquivel lost control of the vehicle and rolled it multiple times. Esquivel ran from the crash scene and threw the gun in the desert, where it was subsequently recovered by law enforcement officers.
The Border Patrol Agent survived the shooting due in large part to the bullets striking his ballistic vest. None of the illegal aliens were seriously injured in the rollover.
Per the terms of his plea agreement, Esquivel is facing 19 years in prison.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher S. McNair is prosecuting the case.
View the Information View the Plea Agreement# # #
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Shiprock Man Charged with Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Larence Larry Harris Cambridge appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon. Cambridge, 33, of Shiprock, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending a detention hearing, which is scheduled for Feb. 6, 2024.
According to the criminal complaint, on Jan. 9, 2024, Investigators from the FBI and Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations (NNDCI) responded to the scene of a shooting which occurred on U.S. Highway 64 in Shiprock, within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation. Investigators learned through witnesses and evidence at the scene that the defendant fired a gun multiple times into an occupied vehicle driving along the same highway. A victim in this vehicle had to receive treatment at multiple medical facilities in relation to her injuries sustained from the shooting.
A criminal complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the current charges, Cambridge faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Probasco is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint# # #
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Mescalero Man Charged with Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Fulton Charles Potter appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with assault by strangulation and/or suffocating a spouse or intimate partner. Potter, 29, of Mescalero, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the criminal complaint, on Nov. 24, 2023, Potter assaulted Jane Doe, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, at the home of a relative by hitting her in the head, biting her, and strangling her until she lost consciousness. Jane Doe’s brothers arrived at the home during the assault and intervened.
A criminal complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the current charge, Potter faces 10 years in prison.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matilda McCarthy Villalobos is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint# # #
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Man Pleads Guilty to Shooting Spree Targeting Elected OfficialsRead the Press Release
A New Mexico man pleaded guilty yesterday to his role in shootings that targeted the residences of elected officials following the 2022 election.
According to court documents, following Solomon Peña’s electoral defeat in November 2022 for a seat in the New Mexico House of Representatives, Demetrio Trujillo, 42, of Albuquerque, along with his son, Jose Trujillo, were recruited by Peña to engage in a series of targeted shootings of residences belonging to elected officials. Peña allegedly pressured members of the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners to refuse to certify the results of the election, but despite Peña’s alleged pressure, the commissioners certified the results of the election. In response, in his plea agreement, Demetrio Trujillo admitted that Peña paid him to drive to the home of an election official on Dec. 4, 2022, and fire a gun at the residence. Peña then paid Demetrio Trujillo to carry out a shooting at the residence of an elected state official who ran for and won reelection in 2022, which Trujillo did on Dec. 8, 2022. Then, on Jan. 3, 2023, Trujillo, along with his son and Peña, carried out a shooting at the residence of a second elected state official. The victims’ residences were targeted because the individuals were election officials and/or former candidates for elective office.
Demetrio Trujillo pleaded guilty to conspiracy, two counts of interference with federally protected activities, one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and discharging said firearm. Demetrio Trujillo will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has been scheduled for May 1. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jose Trujillo pleaded guilty on Jan. 9 to conspiracy, interference with federally protected activities, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, discharging said firearm, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Related charges against Peña remain pending and are scheduled for trial in June.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez for the District of New Mexico, Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated the case with the Albuquerque Police Department and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office.
Trial Attorney Ryan Crosswell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy Peña and Patrick E. Cordova for the District of New Mexico are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI field offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. A year after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun.
Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the Civil Rights Division, the National Security Division, and the FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI Field Office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
Demetrio Trujillo, Co-Defendant of Solomon Peña, Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Demetrio Trujillo pled guilty to conspiracy, two counts of interference with federally protected activities, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and discharging said firearm. Trujillo, 42, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Trujillo on May 24, 2023, along with his son, Jose Louise Trujillo, and Solomon Peña. According to court records, Trujillo met Peña through acquaintances and knew that Peña campaigned to become the District 14 representative in the New Mexico House of Representatives in 2022. Following his electoral defeat in November 2022, Peña claimed to Trujillo and others that the election had been rigged against him. Peña decided to pressure members of the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners to refuse to certify the results of the election and offered to pay Trujillo to help him.
On November 21, 2022, the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners voted to certify the results of the election that Peña lost. At that time, Peña and Trujillo decided to move forward with Peña’s plan to intimidate his political targets. On Dec. 4, 2022, Peña paid Trujillo to shoot a firearm at the private residence of a former candidate for elective office that Peña had chosen as a target for intimidation. On Dec. 8, 2022, Peña paid Trujillo to shoot a firearm at the private residence of another former candidate for elective office to intimidate the target from campaigning as a candidate. On Jan. 3, 2023, Peña and Trujillo drove to the residence of a third individual who Peña had targeted because they were a former candidate for elective office and carried out a shooting to intimate the target from campaigning.
At sentencing, Trujillo faces up to life in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release and may be ordered to pay fines not to exceed $1 million.
Solomon Peña is currently scheduled to stand trial in June 2024.
Jose Louise Trujillo pled guilty to conspiracy, interference with federally protected activities, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, discharging said firearm, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl on Jan. 8, 2024. Jose Louise Trujilo remains in custody pending sentencing, which is current scheduled for April 8, 2024. At sentencing, Jose Louise Trujillo faces up to life in prison.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the Albuquerque Police Department and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Trial Attorney Ryan Crosswell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy Peña and Patrick E. Cordova for the District of New Mexico are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI field offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. A year after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun.
Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the Civil Rights Division, the National Security Division, and the FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI Field Office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to safeguarding free, fair, and secure elections. In partnership with our local, state, and federal partners, we will use every authority to ensure that all eligible voters can cast a vote, that all lawful votes are counted, and that every election official is safe and free to carry out their official duties.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
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Tse Bonito Man Pleads Guilty to Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Tom Tso pled guilty to abusive sexual contact. Tso, 85, of Tse Bonito, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury issued a superseding indictment against Tso on May 9, 2023. In his plea agreement, Tso admitted that between Aug. 4, 1998, and Oct. 11, 2000, he committed abusive sexual contact upon a minor under the age of 18. Specifically, he intentionally and directly touched Jane Doe’s genitalia, groin, and inner thigh with an intent to gratify his sexual desires.
At sentencing, Tso faces up to three years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
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Tohatchi Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Domestic AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Anthony Joe was sentenced to 37 months in prison. Joe, 38, of Tohatchi, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pled guilty to assault of a spouse, intimate partner, or dating partner by strangling on February 22, 2023.
According to court records, on Aug. 13, 2022, Joe assaulted the victim, Jane Doe, as she was trying to leave Joe’s residence. Joe punched Jane Doe with a closed fist in the back of her head and in her side while she was holding their child, then kicked Jane Doe in the back and pulled her away from the door by her hair. Jane Doe eventually escaped from the residence without her child and ran to a nearby gas station where she called law enforcement.
When Jane Doe was later interview by the FBI regarding the incident, she reported that Joe used his arm to choke her from behind as Jane Doe attempted to leave their shared bedroom and knocked her to the floor. As she tried to get away, Joe used his hands to choke Jane Doe twice, causing her to see black and go limp both times. Jane Doe reported needing time after being choked to catch her breath. Jane Doe received medical treatment for the injuries inflicted by Joe and was diagnosed with contusion and soft tissue injury for the bruising to her neck, back, and face.
Over the next month, Joe harassed Jane Doe, her family, and her co-workers. On Sept. 6, Joe set fireworks off in front of Jane Doe’s home, then fled from officers when they approached him. On Sept. 12, 2022, Joe vandalized Jane Doe’s car and threw rocks at the residence where Jane Doe was staying with her relative, and through the window of a residence where Jane Doe previously lived. Joe also vandalized Jane Doe’s workplace by spray-painting “[Jane] you meth whore” on the building. On Sept. 13, 2022, the FBI found incendiary devices known as “Molotov Cocktails” around the trailer of a man Joe believed Jane Doe was in a relationship with.
Upon his release from prison, Joe will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case.
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Tohatchi Man Pleads Guilty to Assault Charges in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Eric Chandler Watson plead guilty to one count each of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country. Watson, 22, of Tohatchi, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to court records, on the morning of December. 9, 2022, Watson confronted a family member outside of a shared residence in Tohatchi, New Mexico. The confrontation escalated to a physical altercation, at which time Watson’s uncle, John Doe, stepped in to stop the fight. Watson and John Doe began to fight instead, and John Doe’s parents stepped in to stop that fight. John Doe then went inside of the residence to Watson’s bedroom with the intent of destroying Watson’s PlayStation Video Game Console. Watson came up behind John Doe and repeatedly stabbed him in the back.
John Doe experienced a collapsed lung sustained from the stab wounds. John Doe also sustained other stab wounds to the upper back and neck area, with one stab wound inches away from his spinal cord.
At sentencing, Watson faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Navajo Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Mark Probasco is prosecuting the case.
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Man Charged with Arson Related to Fires at Clovis Lowe’s and WalmartRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Jeffrey C. Boshek II, Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, announced that Jimmy Roberts Guillen appeared in federal court on an indictment charging him with attempted arson and arson. Guillen, 59, will remain in temporary custody pending a detention hearing.
According to the indictment, on Sept. 3, 2023, Guillen attempted to damage and destroy the Lowe’s store located on North Prince Street in Clovis, New Mexico, by means of fire. Also, on Sept. 3, 2023, Guillen damaged and destroyed the Walmart store located on North Prince Street in Clovis, New Mexico, by means of fire.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Guillen faces up to 20 years in prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Clovis Police Department, Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office, New Mexico State Fire Marshal’s Office, Ninth Judicial District Attorney’s Office and Criminal Investigators at the Ninth Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Curry County Sheriff’s Office, and Portales Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Elena Stiteler is prosecuting the case.
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Sanostee Man Charged with Aggravated Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Nathan Mescale appeared in federal court on an indictment charging him with aggravated sexual abuse. Mescale, 34, of Sanostee, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending trial.
According to the indictment, between Dec. 2 and Dec. 3, 2023, Mescale caused Jane doe to engage in a sexual act by using force.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Mescale faces up to life in prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mia Ulibarri-Rubin is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment# # #
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Mexican National Charged with Smuggling Firearms into Mexico from the United StatesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, announced that David Fehr Wiebe appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with smuggling goods from the United States. Wiebe, 51, of Janos, Chihuahua, Mexico, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled.
According to the criminal complaint, on Dec. 3, 2023, Wiebe applied for entry into the United States at the Antelope Wells Port of Entry in Hachita, New Mexico. Wiebe stated that he had just departed the same point of entry but had turned around when he was denied entry into Mexico because he lacked the proper documentation to export a vehicle which he was towing. Customs and Border Protection Officers referred the vehicle for secondary inspection, during which time officers located two handguns wrapped in cellophane beneath the center console. Officers placed Wiebe under arrest. When officers asked Wiebe if he understood why he was being arrested, Wiebe responded that it was because of the firearms in the vehicle. Officers asked Wiebe how many firearms where in the vehicle and he stated that there was a total of 14.
Officers located four rifles between the back seat and the back panel of the vehicle, three handguns, and multiple shotguns. During a subsequent interview, Wiebe told officers that he purchased the firearms in Seminole, Texas with the intent of smuggling them to Mexico and that he was going to be paid $350 for each weapon.
A criminal complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted on the current charges, Wiebe faces up to 10 years in prison.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Saltman is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint# # #
24-41
Mexican National Charged with Being an Alien in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, announced that David Pasillas Martinez appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with being an alien in possession of a firearm. Pasillas Martinez, 52, of Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled.
According to the criminal complaint, on Jan. 7, 2024, while conducting surveillance at the Las Cruces Gun Show in Las Cruces, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) observed a vehicle with Chihuahua, Mexico license plates which was registered to Pasillas Martinez. Agents observed Pasillas Martinez leave the gun show and place a firearm in the rear passenger side door of his vehicle before he drove away. Agents followed Pasillas Martinez from Las Cruces to El Paso, Texas. A short time later, a New Mexico State Police trooper executed a traffic stop on Pasillas Martinez for impeding traffic in a safety corridor. After the stop, HSI agents conducted an investigation of Pasillas Martinez, who agreed to speak to agents.
Pasillas Martinez told agents that he was a Mexican national and had travelled to Las Cruces to attend the gun show and purchase a firearm because he knows vendors there will not ask for identification when selling a firearm. Pasillas Martinez stated that he purchased three or four rifles and a pistol to take to Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico for sport shooting and planned to register the firearms in Mexico. Pasillas Martinez identified himself as a Municipal Police Officer in Juarez and stated that he knew it was illegal to purchase firearms in the U.S. and export them to Mexico.
A criminal complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted on the current charges, Pasillas Martinez faces up to 15 years in prison.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Saltman is prosecuting the case.
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24-43
Vanderwagon Man Charged with Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Sheldon Carlton Daye with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. Daye, 30, of Vanderwagon, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain on conditions of release pending trial.
According to the indictment, on or about Oct. 2, 2022, Daye killed John and Jane Doe by operating a motor vehicle without due caution and circumspection and with a wanton and reckless disregard for human life.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Daye faces a maximum of 16 years in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Probasco is prosecuting the case.
View the Superseding Indictment# # #
24-10
Two Albuquerque Men Charged with 2023 Crime SpreeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that James Adam Metts and Demetrius Antonnie Bailey have been charged in relation to a summer 2023 crime spree. Bailey, 40, of Albuquerque, previously appeared in federal court on an indictment charging him with one count of interference with commerce by robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Today, Metts, 45, of Albuquerque, appeared in federal court on an indictment charging him with eight counts of interference with commerce by robbery, using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Bailey and Metts will remain in temporary custody pending a detention hearing, which is scheduled for January 29, 2024.
According to the indictment, on July 11, 2023, Metts and Bailey allegedly took tools from Harbor Freight Tools using force, violence and fear of injury. During the incident, Metts pointed a firearm at John Doe 1, an employee of Brosnan Security at Harbor Freight Tools. Additionally, on Sept. 28, 2023, Bailey allegedly possessed a firearm and ammunition, knowing that he had previously been convicted of multiple crimes.
Following the July robbery, Metts allegedly robbed a Metro by T-Mobile of cash and merchandise using force, violence and fear of injury on Aug. 26, a T-Mobile on Sept. 1, another Metro by T-Mobile on Sept. 9, a Verizon on Sept. 12, another T-Mobile on Sept. 14, and a JC Penney and third T-Mobile on Sept. 16. During the Sept. 16 incident at T-Mobile, Metts allegedly brandished a firearm.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Bailey faces up to 20 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Metts faces a minimum of seven years and up to 20 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Elena Stiteler is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment# # #
24-39
Hobbs Man Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison for Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Jeffrey C. Boshek II, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, announced today that Zachary Ray Gonzales was sentenced to 63 months in prison. Gonzales, 28, of Hobbs, pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm on July 10, 2023.
According to court records, on March 19, 2022, deputies from the Lea County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on Gonzales for an arrest warrant for first-degree murder. Gonzales was arrested and the vehicle he had been driving was towed. Deputies secured a search warrant for the vehicle. During the resulting search, deputies located a handgun on the rear passenger side floorboard. Gonzales had multiple prior felony convictions. As a previously convicted felon, Gonzales could not possess a firearm or ammunition.
In 2023, Gonzales pled guilty to state charges of voluntary manslaughter, armed robbery, and conspiracy to commit armed robbery and was sentenced to 15 years in state prison, which will run consecutive to the federal 63-month sentence. Therefore, Gonzales will serve over 20 years in prison between his state and federal time. Upon his release from prison, Gonzales will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Lea County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Ry Ellison is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
24-38
Shiprock Man Charged with AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Tyrell Jordan Benally appeared in federal court on an indictment charging him with assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Benally, 25, of Shiprock, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending trial.
According to the indictment, on January 1, 2024, Benally assaulted Jane Doe and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Benally faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jena Ritchey is prosecuting the case.
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24-37
Two Sunland Park Men Charged with Hostage TakingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, announced today that a federal grand jury returned a second superseding indictment charging Saul Castorena and his brother Steven Castorena with conspiracy to take a hostage, two counts of hostage taking, conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens, and two counts of harboring an illegal alien. Saul is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of a firearm not registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Saul, 41, and Steven, 40, both of Sunland Park, remain in custody pending trial, which is currently scheduled for Feb. 26, 2024.
According to the indictment, between Jan. 15 and Jan. 18, 2023, Saul and Steven detained and threatened to kill or injure two people who had entered and remained in the United States in violation of law unless a third party paid a ransom for their release. During this time, Saul, knowing that he had previously been convicted of conspiracy to transport aliens for financial gain and transporting aliens for financial gain, possessed a firearm and ammunition, specifically a shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches, that was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Saul and Steven both face up to life in prison.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy Castellano and Devon Aragon Martinez are prosecuting the case.
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24-33
Two Charged with Firearms Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, announced that Anthony Stephen and Whitney Bisetti appeared in federal court on an indictment charging them with one count each of firearms trafficking conspiracy and transfer of a firearm not registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Stephen is charged with an additional count of transfer of a firearm not registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Stephen, 34, and Bisetti, 22, both of Albuquerque, were released on conditions pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled.
According to the indictment, between May 12 and Aug. 31, 2023, Stephen and Bisetti transferred a firearm to another person knowing that the use, carrying, and possession of a firearm by the recipient would constitute a felony. On Aug. 9, 2023, Stephen and Bisetti transferred a rifle with a barrel length less than 16 inches and an overall length less than 26 inches that was not registered in the National firearms Registration and Transfer Record. On Aug. 31, 2023, Stephen transferred a rifle with a barrel length less than 16 inches and an overall length less than 26 inches that was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The transfers are alleged to have occurred while Stephen and Bisetti worked at the Shooter’s Den store in Albuquerque.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Stephen and Bisetti face up to 15 years in prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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24-36
Tohajilee Man Pleads Guilty to Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Cole Ray Shorty pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Shorty, 19, of Tohajilee and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Shorty on Sept. 27, 2022, along with his co-defendant, Keon Apachito. In his plea agreement, Shorty admitted that he went to John Doe’s home on May 27, 2022, to retrieve a backpack that he believed John Doe has stolen. Shorty approached John Doe while he was seated in his car in the driver’s seat and opened the back door of the car to look for his backpack. John Doe got out of the car with a baseball bat and a knife. After a struggle, John Doe dropped the bat. Shorty picked up the bat and hit John Doe with the baseball bat in his head, then left, leaving John Doe lying unconscious on the ground. The Office of the Medical Inspector’s found that the cause of John Doe’s death was blunt head trauma.
Per the terms of his plea agreement, Shorty faces up to 15 years in prison.
Apachito remains in custody pending trial, which is currently scheduled for June 10, 2024.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany DuChaussee, Meg Tomlinson and Mark Probasco are prosecuting the case.
View the Information View the Plea Agreement# # #
24-34
Arizona Man Charged with Assault in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Olan Jumbo appeared in federal court on an indictment charging him with involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Jumbo, 30, of Fort Defiance, Arizona, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain on conditions of release in the third-party custody of a halfway house pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled.
According to the indictment, on Nov. 26, 2022, Jumbo killed Jane Doe by unlawfully operating a motor vehicle with wanton and reckless disregard for life and assaulted John Doe with a motor vehicle, causing serious bodily injury.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Jumbo faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.
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24-35
Two Jal Police Department Officers and One Former Jal Police Department Officer Charged with Deprivation of RightsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Corey Patrick Saffell, Ceasar Enrique Mendoza, and Robert Edward Embly, aka Eddie, made initial appearances in federal court on an indictment charging them with two counts each of the deprivation of rights. Saffell, 34, of Jal, Mendoza, 28, and Embly, 43, both of Hobbs, will remain in custody pending detention hearings, which have been scheduled for Jan. 29, 2024.
According to the indictment, between July 30 and July 31, 2021, Saffell, Mendoza, and Embly were employed as police officers with the Jal Police Department in Lea County when they allegedly violated John Doe’s constitutional rights to be free from unreasonable seizure by a law enforcement officer, including the right to be free from an unlawful arrest and the right to be free from unreasonable use of force by a law enforcement officer. The officers conduct resulted in bodily injury to John Doe and included the use of a dangerous weapon.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, all three men face up to 10 years in prison.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Hobbs Police Department, Carlsbad Police Department, Lea County Sheriff’s Office, Jal Police Department, and New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matilda McCarthy Villalobos is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment# # #
24-27
Two Defendants Arrested During 2023 Joint Enforcement Operation in Carlsbad Plead Guilty to Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division, announced today that Brian Kain Purdy and Sabino Alfonso Maldonado, two of the 12 defendants arrested during a joint enforcement operation last year in Carlsbad, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States and conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States. Purdy, 42, of Carlsbad, will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. Maldonado, 32, of Carlsbad, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
In their plea agreements, Purdy and Maldonado admitted that on March 8, 2023, they picked up six firearms in Carlsbad at the direction of a co-conspirator and, together with another individual, wrapped them in towels and loaded them into a Jeep, hiding them underneath other items in the Jeep. Purdy and Maldonado then turned the Jeep over to another individual, who had traveled to Carlsbad from Mexico in order to pick up the firearms and transport them back to Mexico. As the individual from Mexico began to drive back to Mexico with the firearms, he was stopped by law enforcement officer, and the firearms were seized. The seized firearms are all controlled on the Commerce Control List, and neither Purdy nor Maldonado had obtained a license and written authorization to export the firearms. Purdy and Maldonado admitted that they knew that the attempted exportation of the firearms was in violation of the law.
At sentencing, Purdy and Maldonado both face up to 10 years in prison, followed by three years of mandatory supervised release.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Pecos Valley Drug Task Force led the investigation, with enforcement assistance from the United States Marshal Service, Carlsbad Police Department, Eddy County Sheriff’ Department, Roswell Police Department, Chaves County Drug Task Force, DEA Airwing and Customs and Border Patrol. The New Mexico Air National Guard’s Air Unit, Artesia Police Department and Customs and Border Patrol’s Air Unit provided support during the operation on August 1, 2023.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Renee L. Camacho and Devon Aragon-Martinez are prosecuting the case. This investigation was conducted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
View Purdy's Plea Agreement View Maldonado's Plea Agreement###
24-31
Pinehill Man Charged with Murder and Assault in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Ellery Brent Yazzie appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Yazzie, 36, of Pinehill, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending trial, which is currently not scheduled.
According to the criminal complaint, on the morning of Dec. 22, 2023, the Ramah Navajo Police Department received an emergency call from a witness who stated that Ellery Brent Yazzie shot his father, sister, and brother at a residence in Pinehill following a verbal argument. When officers arrived at the residence, they found the two males deceased and Yazzie alive with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The witness had attempted to drive the third victim to the hospital but linked up with an ambulance enroute which transported the victim to Zuni Hospital. Physicians advised a special agent from the FBI that the victim sustained life-threatening injuries and would have died without timely medical care. The victims were all enrolled members of the Navajo Nation.
A criminal complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted on the current charges, Yazzie faces up to life in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Ramah Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caitlin L. Dillon and Jena Ritchey are prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint# # #
24-28
Member of Navajo Nation Sentenced to 57 Months for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Alvin White was sentenced to 57 months in prison. White, 54, of Little Water, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and entered into an agreement with the government on February 1, 2023. In his plea agreement, White also agreed to cooperate and provided testimony in the now-concluded trial against his co-defendant, Raydell Billy.
According to court documents, on the evening of April 11, 2022, White and his co-defendants, Raydell Billy and Raynorma Billy, burst into John Doe’s home and attacked him. At Raydell’s trial, White testified that he and Raydell Billy attacked John Doe with the intent to commit bodily harm. He testified that they both hit John Doe and that Raydell Billy discharged a firearm in John Doe’s direction. After Raydell Billy discharged the round and rapped the pistol across John Doe’s skull, the three assailants left, and in anger one of them riddled John Doe’s car with bullet holes.
Raynorma Billy pleaded guilty on February 28, 2023, to being a conspirator, admitting that she, Raydell Billy, and Alvin White discussed and agreed to assault John Doe. Raynorma was sentenced to time served, followed by three years of supervised release. Raydell was found guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon on March 8, 2023, and sentenced to 120 months in prison.
This case was investigated by the Farmington office of the Federal Bureau Investigation and by Navajo Nation Office of Criminal Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander F. Flores and Matthew J. McGinley.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
24-29
Las Cruces Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office announced today that Myles Delando Luciano was sentenced to 46 months in prison. Luciano, 27, of Las Cruces, pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by threats or violence on May 1, 2023.
In his plea agreement, Luciano admitted that on July 27, 2022, he and Joshua Lopez wrongfully obtained property from Lowe's Home Improvement by taking the property without paying for it using the threat of force, violence, and fear. Luciano admitted that the items of property they stole had moved in interstate commerce and that, as a result, interstate commerce was further delayed, obstructed, and impacted by our actions because the store was forced to expend time and resources for law enforcement to investigate the robbery.
Upon his release from prison, Luciano will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
Joshua Lopez, 26, of Las Cruces, pleaded guilty to three counts of interference with commerce by threats or violence on Aug. 8, 2023. Lopez remains in custody pending sentencing, which is currently not scheduled.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Las cruces Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Y. Armijo and Ry Ellison are prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
24-30
Federal Jury Convicts San Felipe Man of Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that on Jan. 23, 2024, a federal jury returned two guilty verdicts against Kyle Aguilar, 41, of San Felipe and an enrolled member of the San Felipe Pueblo, after four hours of deliberation. The jury convicted Aguilar of two counts of abusive sexual contact. Judge James O. Browning presided.
A federal grand jury issued a superseding indictment against Aguilar on Oct. 4, 2023. According to evidence presented at trial and other publicly available court records, between Aug. 13, 2016, and Feb. 13, 2017, when Aguilar was drunk, he touched Jane Doe’s genitalia and breasts over her clothing. Jane Doe locked herself in a room to watch a movie. Aguilar unlocked the door and came into the room. He started to massage Jane Doe's back, before he touched her breasts and genitals over the clothes. Jane Doe stated she froze when this happened as it had never happened before. She then claimed she heard her sister calling for her and left the room. Jane Doe was between the ages of 12 and 16 when this happened. The incidents came to light during a visit to the doctor in February of 2017, when Jane Doe told her doctor that Aguilar had inappropriately touched her on more than one occasion when he was drunk.
Aguilar will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Aguilar faces up to four years in prison.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas J. Marshall and Mia Ulibarri-Rubin are prosecuting the case.
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24-32
Grants Man Charged with Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Stephen Jaymes Montano appeared in federal court on an indictment charging him with assault upon a federal officer inflicting bodily injury. Montano, 28, of Grants, will remain in temporary custody pending a detention hearing, which is scheduled for January 25, 2024.
According to the indictment, on Sept. 21, 2023, Montano intentionally assaulted John Doe, an officer and employee of the New Mexico Department of Corrections, while John Doe was assisting officers and employees of the United States Marshals Service in the performance of official duties. Montano allegedly inflicted bodily injury by throwing a bicycle at John Doe.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Montano faces 20 years in prison.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Bell is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment# # #
24-26
Shiprock Man Charged with Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Crandall Craig Martin was arraigned today in federal court on an indictment charging him with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Martin, 40, of Shiprock, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending trial in this case.
According to the indictment, on August 10, 2022, Martin possessed a firearm knowing that he had been previously convicted of both felony offenses and a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. The government alleges that Martin stole a shotgun from the Navajo Nation Police Department evidence locker intending to exchange it for alcohol. Martin was apprehended without incident by Navajo Nation Police shortly after taking the shotgun.
An indictment is only an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Martin faces up to 10 years in prison and up to three years of supervised release thereafter.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Jones is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment# # #
24-25
Jury Convicts Dulce Man of Aggravated Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge for the FBI Albuquerque Office, announced today that on Jan. 19, 2024, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict against Joel Ruiz, 65, of Dulce, after a day and a half of deliberation. The jury convicted Ruiz of aggravated sexual abuse. Judge David H. Urias presided.
A federal grand jury issued an indictment against Ruiz on March 8, 2022. According to evidence presented at trial and other publicly available court records, between January 2016 and January 2020, Ruiz used candy to lure a child under the age of 12 into his trailer where he sexually assaulted her. The incident occurred on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation, but neither Ruiz, nor the victim, are registered members of the tribe.
During her testimony, Jane Doe 1 testified that Ruiz abused her when she was six or seven years old. The jury also heard from Jane Doe 2, who testified that Ruiz abused her once when she was three or four years old. Jane Does 1 and 2 both stated that Ruiz lured them into his trailer by offering them candy and described the same form of abuse.
Ruiz will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Ruiz faces a mandatory minimum of 30 years up to life in prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Caitlin L. Dillon and Matthew J. McGinley are prosecuting the case.
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24-24
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Carlos Arturo Quintana pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of marijuana, intending and knowing that said controlled substance would be unlawfully imported into the United States. Quintana, 41, of Namiquipa, Chihuahua, Mexico, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury issued a third superseding indictment against Quintana and 10 co-conspirators on July 23, 2015. According to court records, in March of 2011, a confidential informant (“CI”) and another individual ordered 600 kilograms of marijuana from Elmy Hermosillo Trujillo. Trujillo was known to be the person who arranged all bulk purchases of marijuana for the Juarez Cartel, which is responsible for disseminating multi-ton loads of cocaine, marijuana, and other illicit drugs throughout the United States each year. Juarez Cartel is one of the oldest and most powerful criminal organizations in Mexico. Since its beginnings, the cartel has focused on drug trafficking, but has expanded into other criminal activities such as human trafficking, arms trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, and large-scale commercial gasoline theft from the Mexican government.
On or about March 19, 2011, the CI and the other individual, as well as other coconspirators, met with Quintana in Gomez Farias, Chihuahua, Mexico. Quintana arrived wearing a police uniform, driving a marked police vehicle, and was accompanied by other uniformed officers. Quintana and the other officers delivered the 600 kilograms of marijuana in a dump truck. The CI and the other individual then placed a GPS tracking device with the marijuana.
On or about March 26, 2011, according to data being transmitted from the GPS tracker, the marijuana was located at a drug storage house in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Mexican law enforcement authorities searched the house at that location. A shootout occurred at that location which left one subject dead and resulted in the arrest of three co-conspirators and the escape of others. The marijuana, as well as several firearms, radios, and cell phones were seized at that time.
Quintana was identified as the Police Chief of Namiquipa, as well as the Plaza Boss of the Juarez Cartel, and extradited to the United States in August of 2022.
In his plea agreement, Quintana admitted that from Feb. 2011 to March 2011, he was involved in a conspiracy with others to distribute 600 kilograms of marijuana in the Republic of Mexico and knew the marijuana would be unlawfully imported into the United States. At sentencing, Quintana faces not less than five years nor more than 40 years in prison.
Raul Corella-Hernandez, Marco Antonio Guzman-Zuniga, Elmy Hermosillo Trujillo, Jorge Olivas Nevarez, Jorge Adrian Ortega-Gallegos, and Guadalupe A Prieto remain fugitives.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Las Cruces-Doña Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Quintana from Mexico. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Y. Armijo and Randy M. Castellano are prosecuting the case.
View the Third Superseding Indictment View the Plea Agreement# # #
24-23
Mescalero Man Pleads Guilty to AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Garrick Richard Shendo-Herrera pled guilty in federal court to assault with intent to commit another felony. Shendo-Herrera, 36, of Mescalero, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
In his plea agreement, Shendo-Herrera admitted that on May 16, 2023, he assaulted Jane Doe in a car parked in the driveway of his residence.
At sentencing, Shendo-Herrera faces 10 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau Investigation investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
View the Information View the Plea Agreement# # #
24-22
Santa Clara Man Sentenced to 35 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, announced today that Michael Rivera was sentenced to 35 years in prison. A federal jury convicted Rivera, 33, of Santa Clara, on July 11, 2023, of one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and two counts of production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct after less than two hours of deliberation.
A federal grand jury indicted Rivera on Sept. 21, 2022. According to the evidence at trial and other publicly available court records, in 2020, Rivera befriended a minor identified as Jane Doe. Doe and Rivera became close. One day in March of 2021, when Doe was 12 years old, Rivera stopped at a convenience store and bought alcohol for both. He then drove to a secluded area of town and parked the car. Rivera then initiated sexual intercourse with Doe in the car. Afterward, Rivera told Doe that she could not tell anyone because he could get in trouble.
Following the incident, Rivera maintained contact with Doe by phone. Later that same year, Rivera began requesting that Doe send him naked photos and videos of herself via text message. Rivera received several items of child sexual abuse material from Doe.
At sentencing, the court found that Rivera gained Jane Doe’s family’s trust so that he could be alone with the victim, groomed her in preparation of commissioning a sexual act or sexual contact and was able to later entice her to produce child pornography.
Upon his release from prison, Rivera will be subject to 30 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with the assistance of the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, the Las Cruces Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Marisa A. Ong, Eliot Neal and Matilda McCarthy Villalobos prosecuted the case.
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24-21
Farmington Man Pleads Guilty to ArsonRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Ulrick Bruce Canyon pled guilty to arson of a dwelling. Canyon, 40, of Farmington and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
In his plea agreement, Canyon admitted to completely burning down a residence within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation on Aug. 28, 2023. Canyon started the fire by pouring lighter fluid in the bedrooms of the residence, then, after lighting the fire, threw two propane tanks into the fire. Canyon then left the residence with a wheelbarrow full of his clothing, at which time he was intercepted by Navajo Nation Police officers.
At sentencing, Canyon faces up to life in prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McGinley is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment View the Plea Agreement# # #
24-20
Mescalero Woman Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Lucinda Ann Yuzos was sentenced to 41 months in prison. Yuzos, 49, of Mescalero, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, pled guilty in federal court on Apr. 25, 2023, to assault of an intimate partner resulting is substantial bodily injury.
According to court records, on the evening of May 31, 2022, Yuzos assaulted the victim, John Doe. When responding officers arrived, they found John Doe sitting on the front steps of the residence with blood dripping down his forehead from underneath a hat. When John Doe removed the hat, officers observed a large gash—approximately 6 inches long—on the victim’s forehead with exposed bone. Officer’s immediately contacted Mescalero Fire Rescue (MFR), and after they evaluated the victim, it was determined that the injuries were so severe the victim needed immediate transportation via medevac to University Medical Center in El Paso, Texas.
The victim spent four days in the hospital. His right orbital floor was fractured, he had a large blowout type fracture of his right orbital wall including displaced bone fragments in his sinuses requiring surgery. Since the initial surgeries, the victim has traveled to the Eye Institute of New Mexico in Albuquerque for eight additional surgeries, and he is still being treated for the injuries inflicted by Yuzos.
In her plea agreement, Yuzos admitted to hitting John Doe with a blunt object. During the sentencing hearing, Yuzos admitted that the object was a 2x4.
Upon her release from prison, Yuzos will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
The FBI Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joni Autrey Stahl is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
24-19
DEA-Led Investigation Dismantles Albuquerque-Based Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division, announced the results of a law enforcement operation that resulted in fifteen defendants being charged with federal drug trafficking offenses. The operation followed a DEA led investigation into a significant drug trafficking organization based in Albuquerque.
During the enforcement operation, law enforcement authorities executed federal search warrants at thirteen residences and seized approximately 102 pounds of meth, 21 kilograms of cocaine, 2.8 kilograms of heroin, approximately 10,000 fentanyl pills, 34 firearms, and approximately $124,000 in cash. At least 8 of these firearms were “ghost guns,” which lack serial numbers.
During the investigation leading up to the search warrants, law enforcement authorities seized over 20 kilograms of methamphetamine and 10 kilograms of fentanyl.
The defendants are charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine between August 19, 2020, and November 29, 2023. Three defendants face additional charges for distribution of a controlled substance within one thousand feet of Wilson Middle School in southeast Albuquerque.
A criminal indictment is only an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendants face sentences of at least five years in prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with the assistance of the Rio Rancho Police Department, the Pojoaque Pueblo Police Department, the Laguna Police Department, the Albuquerque Police Department, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office, the New Mexico State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives was instrumental in assisting the Drug Enforcement Administration in recovering the 34 firearms referenced above.
The investigation was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, a Department of Justice program that combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Hirsch and Joseph Spindle are prosecuting the case.
View the Superseding Indictment# # #
24-17
Albuquerque Man Charged with Conspiracy Related to Recovery of Tiger Cub in AlbuquerqueRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Amy Lueders, Acting Deputy Director of Operations for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging David Mendoza-Enriquez with conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act, which prohibits the transport and sale of certain wildlife, in connection with the tiger cub seized in Albuquerque early last year. Mendoza-Enriquez, aka “Cholo,” 40, of Albuquerque, was also one of 15 defendants charged with drug trafficking in a separate superseding indictment.
According to the indictment, between Nov. 20, 2022, and Jan. 10, 2023, Mendoza-Enriquez conspired with others to import the tiger cub from Mexico into New Mexico and sell it for thousands of dollars.
On January 10, 2023, the Albuquerque Police Department, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, located and seized the tiger cub in Albuquerque after responding to an unrelated call. The tiger cub, now named “Duke,” was transferred to the ABQ BioPark, and later to the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado.
The following photographs appeared in the indictment to illustrate Mendoza-Enriquez’s possession of Duke. They include a distinctive tattoo on Mendoza-Enriquez’s right hand.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Mendoza-Enriquez faces up to 5 years in prison.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigated this case with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Albuquerque Police Department, the Rio Rancho Police Department, the Pojoaque Pueblo Police Department, the Laguna Police Department, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office, the New Mexico State Police, the United States Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The investigation was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, a Department of Justice program that combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Hirsch and Joseph Spindle are prosecuting the case.
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24-18
Albuquerque Man Charged with Conspiracy Related to Recovery of Tiger Cub in AlbuquerqueRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Amy Lueders, Acting Deputy Director of Operations for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging David Mendoza-Enriquez with conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act, which prohibits the transport and sale of certain wildlife, in connection with the tiger cub seized in Albuquerque early last year. Mendoza-Enriquez, aka “Cholo,” 40, of Albuquerque, was also one of 15 defendants charged with drug trafficking in a separate superseding indictment.
According to the indictment, between Nov. 20, 2022, and Jan. 10, 2023, Mendoza-Enriquez conspired with others to import the tiger cub from Mexico into New Mexico and sell it for thousands of dollars.
On January 10, 2023, the Albuquerque Police Department, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, located and seized the tiger cub in Albuquerque after responding to an unrelated call. The tiger cub, now named “Duke,” was transferred to the ABQ BioPark, and later to the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado.
The following photographs appeared in the indictment to illustrate Mendoza-Enriquez’s possession of Duke. They include a distinctive tattoo on Mendoza-Enriquez’s right hand.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Mendoza-Enriquez faces up to 5 years in prison.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigated this case with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Albuquerque Police Department, the Rio Rancho Police Department, the Pojoaque Pueblo Police Department, the Laguna Police Department, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office, the New Mexico State Police, the United States Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The investigation was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, a Department of Justice program that combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Hirsch and Joseph Spindle are prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment# # #
24-18
Two Mexican Nationals Plead Guilty to Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Jose Maria Reyes-Fuentes and his brother Juventino Darinel Reyes-Fuentes pled guilty in federal court to assault upon a federal officer involving physical contact. Jose Maria, 23, and Juventino Darinel, 29, both Mexican nationals, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to court documents, on Aug. 20, 2023, a Border Patrol Agent from the Santa Teresa Patrol Station was pursuing a group of five to seven migrants using an all-terrain vehicle (ATV). After a brief search, the agent located Juventino Darinel hiding in a bush. The agent pulled Juventino Darniel out of the bush and began to handcuff him. After the agent had placed the first handcuff on, but before the agent had completed securing him, Juventino Darinel began to resist the agent. During the ensuing struggle, Juventino Darinel shouted, at which time Jose Maria rose up approximately 20 yards away and ran towards the agent with a stick. The agent disengaged from Juventino Darinel, drew his duty weapon, and commanded Jose Maria to stop in Spanish. Juventino Darinel then tackled the agent and climbed on top of him. While he was on the ground, Jose Maria made contact with the agent during the altercation. The agent felt Juventino Darinel reach for his weapon and commanded him to stop in Spanish again. The agent then fired his weapon at Juventino Darniel’s leg. The firearm malfunctioned and the agent lost control of the weapon.
Juventino Darniel disengaged from the agent and Jose Maria wrestled the agent’s weapon from the agent before tossing the weapon away. Juventino Darinel and Jose Maria then mounted the agent’s ATV and drove into the dessert.
Other agents tracked the ATV and located it at the bottom of a mesa. Juventino Darinel and Jose Maria were located on top of the mesa by a Border Patrol helicopter. Agents climbed the mesa and located the two men and arrested them.
At sentencing, Juventino Darinel and Jose Maria face up to eight years in prison.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau Investigation investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Ramirez is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint View Jose Maria's Plea Agreement View Juventino's Plea Agreement# # #
24-15
Chaparral Man Sentenced to 90 months in Prison for Hostage TakingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, John Morales, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s El Paso Field Office, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Ricardo Arce, III was sentenced to 90 months in prison. Arce, 44, of Chaparral, New Mexico, pled guilty in federal court on Sept. 22, 2021, to conspiracy to take a hostage and two counts of hostage taking.
In his plea agreement, Arce admitted to conspiring with his co-defendants, Jonathan Matthew Gonzalez and Vicki Sowell, to take two foreign nationals’ hostage. Gonzalez transported the hostages to Arce’s residence in Chaparral, took their phones and wallets, and told them they were not allowed to leave unless their families paid money to secure their release. While held against their will, Gonzalez assaulted both of the hostages. Arce recorded videos of Gonzalez assaulting one of the hostages while Sowell turned up music to cover the sounds of the beating. Gonzalez sent the videos to the hostage’s family along with a demand for money. Gonzalez threatened to kill the hostages if they did not pay the ransom.
Family and friends of the hostages paid nearly $20,000 in an attempt to secure their release. Gonzales paid Arce and Sowell to house and watch the hostages.
Upon his release from prison, Arce will be subject to 5 years of supervised release.
Gonzalez pled guilty to conspiracy to take a hostage and two counts of hostage taking on March 18, 2022, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Sowell was convicted of conspiracy to take a hostage and two counts of hostage taking and sentenced to 32 months in prison.
The FBI El Paso Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the FBI Las Cruces Resident Agency, El Paso Police Department, Las Cruces Police Department, Otero County Sheriff's Office, Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector and Border Patrol El Paso Sector Special Operations Detachment BORTAC. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Ramirez is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment View the Plea Agreement# # #
24-16
Previously Convicted Woman from Pinedale Charged with Escaping CustodyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Betrina Harry Grey appeared in federal court on an indictment charging her with escape. Betrina, 32, of Pinedale, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in temporary custody pending a detention hearing, which is scheduled for January 12, 2024.
According to the indictment, Grey knowingly escaped from custody at the Diersen Charities Residential Re-entry Center, an institutional facility in which she was lawfully confined to following her conviction for involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury on Nov. 11, 2022.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the most serious allegation, Grey faces five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
The U.S. Marshals Service investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment# # #
24-14
Jose Trujillo, Co-Defendant of Solomon Peña, Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Jose Louise Trujillo pled guilty to conspiracy, interference with federally protected activities, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, discharging said firearm, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Trujillo, 22, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Trujillo on May 24, 2023, along with his father, Demetrio Trujillo, and Solomon Peña. According to court records, Trujillo helped Peña with his political campaign for District 14 of the New Mexico House of Representatives during the November 2022 mid-term elections. Specifically, Trujillo allowed Peña to use Trujillo’s bank account to channel approximately $5,155 to his political campaign. Following his electoral defeat in November 2022, Peña decided to pressure members of the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners to refuse to certify the results of the election and paid Trujillo to help him.
On Nov. 21, 2022, the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners voted to certify the results of the election. On Dec. 11, 2023, Trujillo and Peña drove to the home of an election official, and Trujillo fired a gun which Peña provided to him at the residence. On Jan. 3, 2023, Trujillo and his father and Peña drove to the home of a former candidate whom Peña had chosen to target based on their position and carried out a second shooting.
Following that incident, Trujillo was stopped by a deputy from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and arrested. At the time, Trujillo was driving Peña’s car. When the car was searched, deputies located the firearms and ammunition that Peña, Trujillo and Trujillo’s father had used to carry out the shooting earlier that day and 893 fentanyl pills.
At sentencing, Trujillo faces up to life in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release and may be ordered to pay fines not to exceed $1,750,000.
Solomon Peña and Demetrio Trujillo are currently scheduled to stand trial in June 2024.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the Albuquerque Police Department and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Trial Attorney Ryan Crosswell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy Peña and Patrick E. Cordova for the District of New Mexico are prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment View the Plea Agreement# # #
24-13
Man Charged with Federal Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Jeremy Isaac Lopez appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Lopez, 28, will remain in temporary custody pending a detention hearing.
According to the criminal complaint, on April 19, 2023, officers from the Pueblo of Pojoaque Tribal Police Department attempted to detain Lopez at the Cities of Gold Casino in Santa Fe on a arrest warrant for failure to comply with his conditions of release related to a pending state armed robbery charge. Officers observed Lopez inside the casino and followed him outside to his car where he got in the driver’s seat of a car. When officers commanded Lopez to exit the vehicle, Lopez put the vehicle in drive and accelerated forward, smashing into a parked vehicle. Officers contained and disabled the vehicle. Lopez was then removed from the vehicle and placed under arrest.
A search incident to the arrest located approximately 12 grams of suspected methamphetamines, on Lopez’s person as well as an additional 7 grams of suspected Heroin and 53 grams of suspected Fentanyl in the vehicle.
A criminal complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the most serious allegation, Lopez faces 20 years in prison.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Pueblo of Pojoaque Tribal Police Department and Espanola Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert James Booth II is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint# # #
24-12
Zuni Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Contact of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Phillip Edward Lahi, Sr. pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact in Indian Country. Lahi Sr., 72, of Zuni, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to his plea, sometime between Nov. 1, 2021, and December 1, 2021, Lahi Sr. engaged in abusive sexual contact with a minor while hugging her. The victim, identified as Jane Doe, who is also a member of Zuni Pueblo, was less than twelve years old at the time. By the terms of the plea agreement, Lahi faces up to 8 years in prison and must register as a sex offender.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
View the Indictment View the Plea Agreement# # #
24-10
Brothers Charged with Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Dustin Roy Rockmen and Kenzie Roy Rockmen appeared in federal court on an indictment charging them with coercion and enticement of a minor, transfer of obscene material to a minor, sexual abuse of a minor, and sexual abuse. Dustin Roy Rockmen is also charged with the distribution of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of a child and possession of child pornography. Dustin Roy Rockmen, 32, of Navajo, New Mexico, and Kenzie Roy Rockmen, 24, of Hunters Point, Arizona, will remain in temporary custody pending a detention hearing.
According to the indictment, between Oct. 16, 2020, and Jan. 10, 2022, Dustin Roy and Kenzie Roy coerced Jane Doe, a minor, into engaging in sexual activity with both men using threats and by placing Jane Doe in fear of her life. Subsequently, Dustin Roy Rockmen transferred and distributed obscene material depicting him engaging in sexual activity with Jane Doe.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Dustin Roy Rockmen and Kenzie Roy Rockman face up to life in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert James Booth II is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment# # #
24-11
Tohatchi Man Sentenced to 13 Months in Prison for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Donavan Henry was sentenced to 13 months in prison, with restitution to the Crime Victim’s Reparations Commission for funeral expenses, and additional restitution to his living victim and to his deceased victim’s next of kin. Henry, 40, of Tohatchi, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Indian Country on July 14, 2023.
According to court documents, on November 2, 2022, Henry was driving east on Route 134 in Sheep Springs, New Mexico, with two passengers when he lost control of his vehicle. The car went off the two-lane road and flipped when it hit a boulder. All three occupants were ejected. A Navajo Police officer arrived to find Henry underneath the vehicle and his two passengers lying on the ground near the vehicle.
Henry was airlifted to San Juan Regional Medical Center. The front-seat passenger, John Doe 1, also a member of the Navajo Nation, was placed in an ambulance bound for Northern Navajo Medical Center. The back-seat passenger, John Doe 2, was placed in an ambulance going to Gallup Indian Medical Center. John Doe 1 died of his injuries while in the back of the ambulance before it left the scene. Henry’s blood-alcohol content, which was drawn at the hospital following the wreck, was .16.
Upon his release, Henry will be subject to mandatory alcohol treatment and three years of supervised release.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Jones is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment View the Plea Agreement# # #
24-9