District of New Mexico
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Zuni man charged with assault and firearms offensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – 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 Ian Channing Lasiloo was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Lasiloo, 30, of Zuni, and an enrolled member of the Zuni Tribe, appeared in federal court today for a detention hearing and will remain in the custody of a halfway house pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to an indictment, on Aug. 15, 2022, Lasiloo assaulted a victim, identified as John Doe, with a .22 caliber revolver with the intent to cause bodily harm.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Lasiloo faces up to life in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert James Booth II is prosecuting the case.
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23-64
Nonprofit owner charged with misappropriating funds as the fiduciary to a veteranRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Michael J. Missal, Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs, announced that Faye Janzad made an initial appearance in federal court on April 5 on an indictment charging her with two counts of fiduciary misappropriation and two counts of making false statements. Janzad, 63, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Janzad on March 21. According to the indictment, Janzad was the owner and director of Veterans Independent Living of Albuquerque (VILA), a nonprofit company that provides housing and services to veterans at various levels of care. In January 2018, Janzad was appointed to serve as the fiduciary to a disabled veteran under VILAs care. At that time, two cashier’s checks in the amount of $20,360.26 and $143,002.77 were dispersed from the veteran’s prior fiduciary to Janzad. Rather than deposit the checks into the veteran’s beneficiary account, Janzad deposited both checks into VILA’s corporate bank account.
In Oct. and Nov. of 2018, the VA asked Janzad to provide bank statements showing the disposition of the veteran’s money. Instead, Janzad led the VA to believe that she had invested the veteran’s money in a mortgage on a VILA property, earning 5% interest. In Dec. 2018, Janzad recorded a mortgage with Bernalillo County which purported to grant the veteran an interest in a property, though the mortgage erroneously referred to a property that was not owned by VILA but had been owned by one of VILA’s other clients. Shortly after, the VA removed Janzad as fiduciary for the veteran and demanded that she forward all monies to the successor fiduciary. Janzad never fixed the faulty mortgage, never made any payments on the mortgage, and never forwarded the veteran’s funds to his successor fiduciary.
During the investigation, Janzad provided the Department of Veterans Affairs with a Fiduciary Statement of Account that omitted any mention of the veteran’s $163,363, and she knowingly made false, fictitious, and fraudulent statements to VA personnel.
“The charges announced today are an important step in seeking justice for a veteran who was allegedly defrauded by their VA-appointed fiduciary,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebeccalynn Staples with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Western Field Office. “The VA OIG appreciates the support of the US Attorney’s Office for their efforts in prosecuting this case.”
“We honor our nation’s veterans not just with words but with action,” said United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez. “A disabled veteran is not a mortgage loan bank, and should not be treated as such. My office will fight to protect those who fought to protect us.”
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Janzad faces up to 5 years in prison as to each count in the indictment.
The Criminal Investigators Division of the US Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy Peña is prosecuting the case.
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23-66
Acoma man sentenced to 70 months for sexual abuse 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 Karl Shroulote, Sr. was sentenced to 70 months in prison. Shroulote, 41, of Acoma, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Acoma, pleaded guilty on Dec. 21, 2022, to sexual abuse in Indian Country.
In his plea agreement, Shroulote admitted that on April 29, 2018, he sexually assaulted a victim, identified in court records as Jane Doe, while she was unconscious in his home on the Acoma Pueblo.
Upon his release from prison, Aguilar will be subject to 5 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Pueblo of Acoma Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores is prosecuting the case.
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23-65
Federal jury convicts Albuquerque man of drug trafficking offenses and federal firearm violationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Gregory M. Millard, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA El Paso Division, announced today that a federal jury on March 30 returned a guilty verdict against Eloy Romero. The jury convicted Romero, 47, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, on one count each of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute 40 grams and more of fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. United States District Judge Judith C. Herrera presided.
The case against Romero was part of a February 25, 2021, tactical operation by the Albuquerque Police Department in the Southwest Area Command. During the operation, members of the APD Gang Unit observed Romero engage in suspicious behavior in a business parking lot. They approached Romero’s vehicle with emergency equipment engaged, but Romero drove away from the area, disregarding their lights and sirens. APD followed but temporarily disengaged to avoid a dangerous pursuit. Eventually, Romero pulled over and was approached by the investigating officers.
Officers determined that Romero’s vehicle had a suspended registration and Romero had a suspended driver’s license. Officers decided to tow the vehicle, pursuant to department policy. During an inventory of the vehicle, officers discovered suspected fentanyl and a firearm. They immediately sealed the vehicle and sought a search warrant. During execution of the search warrant, officers located a black backpack in the back seat that contained 352 grams of methamphetamine, 1,876 tablets of fentanyl, numerous rounds of .22 ammunition and a .22 caliber semi-automatic handgun.
Romero will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. He faces a minimum of fifteen years in prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Albuquerque District Office and Albuquerque Police Department investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nora Wilson and Joseph M. Spindle.
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23-63
Alamogordo man pleads guilty to enticement of a minorRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Alfonso Salcido Herrera, Jr. pleaded guilty to the enticement of a minor. Herrera, 45, of Alamogordo, New Mexico, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, beginning in 2018 and continuing into 2022, Herrera groomed and sexually abused at least four children who were between nine and 13 years old at the time of the abuse. Herrera showed each of the four minor victims pornography from the Internet on his cell phone in an attempt to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce the minor victims to engage in sexual activity with him.
Herrera faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison. Under the terms of his agreement with the government, Herrera can be sentenced to up to 60 years in prison.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this case with assistance from the Alamogordo Police Department and the 12th Judicial District Attorney's Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Matilda McCarthy Villalobos and Joni Autrey Stahl are 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/.
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23-62
United States Orders Matador Production Company to Reduce Unlawful Air Pollution from its Oil and Gas Wells in New Mexico, Eliminating 16,000 Tons of Harmful Air PollutantsRead the Press Release
Matador Production Company has agreed to pay a penalty and ensure compliance with both state and federal clean air regulations at all 239 of its New Mexico oil and gas well pads to resolve unlawful operations alleged in a civil complaint filed today under the Clean Air Act and state regulations.
The complaint, filed jointly by the United States, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED), alleges that Matador failed to capture and control air emissions from storage vessels; comply with inspection, monitoring and recordkeeping requirements; and obtain required state and federal permits at 25 of its oil and gas production operations in New Mexico. NMED and EPA identified the alleged violations through flyover surveillance and field investigations conducted in 2019.
The consent decree, filed together with the complaint, requires Matador to ensure that all 239 of its well pads in New Mexico are operated lawfully. Under the settlement, Matador will spend at least $2.5 million to implement extensive design, operation, maintenance and monitoring improvements, including installing new tank pressure monitoring systems that will provide advance notification of potential emissions and allow for immediate response action by the company.
“Air quality in the Permian Basin is at risk of not meeting national standards,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We will continue to work with the State of New Mexico to ensure that oil and gas production operations are operating within the law to improve air quality and public health in surrounding communities.”
“Matador’s facilities unlawfully released air pollutants associated with several types of respiratory illnesses and that contribute to global warming,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield of the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “This settlement will not only improve air quality for neighboring communities but also assist with our national effort to slow climate change. It will also help ensure that Matador does not profit from its violations of environmental laws.”
Matador’s compliance with the consent decree will result in a reduction of more than 16,000 tons of pollutants, including oxides of nitrogen (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon monoxide (CO). VOCs and NOx are key components in the formation of ground-level ozone, a pollutant that irritates the lungs, exacerbates diseases such as asthma, and can increase susceptibility to respiratory illnesses, such as pneumonia and bronchitis. In addition, as a co-benefit of these reductions, the consent decree will result in significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, including reducing methane – a powerful greenhouse gas, by more than 31,000 tons, measured as carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent. This is similar to the amount of greenhouse gas reductions that would be achieved by taking 6,060 gasoline powered vehicles off the road for one year. Greenhouse gases from human activities are a primary cause of climate change and global warming.
As part of the settlement, Matador also will pay a civil penalty of $1.15 million to be split between the United States and the State of New Mexico. In addition, Matador will spend no less than $1.25 million on a supplemental environmental project involving diesel engine replacements, which will result in significant reductions of harmful air pollutants and help address the environmental harm caused by the company’s previous violations. Matador will also spend another $500,000 to conduct aerial monitoring of its facilities for leaks of methane and other pollutants and to address any problems identified. Finally, Matador will spend approximately $800,000 to offset the harm caused by the alleged violations by reducing emissions from pneumatic devices and vapor recovery units used in its oil and gas operations.
The Clean Air Act (CAA) requires the EPA to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for criteria pollutants that are considered harmful to public health and the environment. Ozone, CO and nitrogen dioxide (NO2, a component of NOx) are criteria pollutants emitted by oil and gas production facilities, such as those operated by Matador where the alleged violations occurred. During the timeframes of Matador’s alleged violations, air quality monitors in the relevant counties in New Mexico registered rising ozone concentrations exceeding 95% of the NAAQS for ozone. In counties where ozone levels reach 95% of the NAAQS, NMED is required by New Mexico state statute to take action to reduce ozone pollution.
Matador is an independent oil and gas producer engaged in the exploration, development, production and acquisition of oil and natural gas resources in the United States. The company is a large producer in the New Mexico portion of the Permian Basin, which is a shale oil and gas producing area located in southeast New Mexico and west Texas.
This settlement is part of EPA’s National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative, Creating Cleaner Air for Communities by Reducing Excess Emissions of Harmful Pollutants.
The consent decree is available for public viewing at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees. The United States will publish a notice of the consent decree’s lodging with the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico in the Federal Register and will accept public comment for 30 days after the notice is published. The Federal Register notice will also include instructions for submitting public comment.
Shiprock man pleads guilty to sexual abuse, child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – 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 Allan Wilson pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country and possession of child pornography. Wilson, 64, of Shiprock, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to his plea, sometime between Oct. 4 and Nov. 28, 2019, Wilson engaged in abusive sexual contact with a minor while she was spending the night in the home Wilson shared with his sister on the Navajo Nation. Wilson admitted that he had been drinking heavily. The victim, Identified as Jane Doe, who is also a member of the Navajo Nation, was less than twelve years old at the time.
During the investigation, the FBI conducted a search of Wilson’s phone. The search revealed pornographic pictures of a minor victim, identified as Jane Doe 2. Wilson admitted that he knew the images were on his phone.
By the terms of the plea agreement, Wilson faces up to 12 years in prison and must register as a sex offender.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall 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/.
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23-59
Navajo man pleads guilty to sexual abuse of a minor in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – 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 Bryon Yazzie, Jr. pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor, sexual abuse, and aggravated sexual abuse in Indian Country. Yazzie, 21, of Tohatchi, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement, between August 2020 and continuing to November 2020, Yazzie engaged in sexual acts with a minor who had attained the age of 12 but had not yet attained the age of sixteen. Yazzie was nineteen years old at the time.
Yazzie faces up to 15 years in prison for sexual abuse of a minor and any term of years up to life for sexual abuse and aggravated sexual abuse. Upon his release from prison, Yazzie must register as a sex offender.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case.
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23-58
Navajo man pleads guilty to second degree murderRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – 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 Evan Haceesa pleaded guilty to second degree murder. Haceesa, 29, of Nageezi, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement, on Aug. 28, Haceesa attacked Jane Doe at his residence in Nageezi on the Navajo Nation. Haceesa punched Jane Doe in the face until she lost consciousness and kicked her several times. Upon arriving at the home, a Navajo Police Department officer responding to a report of domestic violence found the victim unclothed and unresponsive, lying in a wheelbarrow outside the house. Jane Doe died as a result of her injuries.
Haceesa faces up to life in prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew McGinley is prosecuting the case.
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23-57
- Arizona man pleads guilty to attempted murder of a federal task force officer
Mescalero man charged with assault in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – 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 Joshua Davis made an initial appearance in federal court on March 6 facing a charge of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country. Davis, 40, 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, in May of 2022, Davis allegedly assaulted a victim, identified as John Doe, in Otero County, New Mexico, on the Mescalero Apache reservation. The assault resulted in serious bodily injury to John Doe. The incident occurred in Otero County, New Mexico, within the bounds of the Mescalero Apache Tribe.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Dennis faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
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23-55
Mescalero man charged with assault in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – 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 Jaydyn Diamond Lester made an initial appearance in federal court on March 6 on a criminal complaint charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon with an intent to do bodily harm and assault resulting in substantial bodily injury of a spouse, intimate partner, or dating partner in Indian Country. Lester, 18, 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 Oct. 4, 2022, Lester allegedly assaulted a victim, identified as Jane Doe, by shooting at her and hitting her on the head with the butt of a BB gun. The assault resulted in serious bodily injury to Jane Doe. The incident occurred in Otero County, New Mexico, within the bounds of the Mescalero Apache Tribe.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Lester faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
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23-54
Albuquerque man sentenced to ten years in prison for assault and firearms violationsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – 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 Byron Rosetta was sentenced to ten years and one day in prison. Rosetta, 38, of Albuquerque, and an enrolled member of the Kewa Pueblo, pleaded guilty on June 22, 2022, to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian Country and one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on January 3, 2020, law enforcement began receiving reports of seemingly indiscriminate shooting incidents along Interstate 25 between Bernalillo, New Mexico, and the Kewa Pueblo. Eventually, law enforcement determined that a Kewa man, Byron Rosetta, was responsible for the shootings. Between January 3, 2020, and April 4, 2020, law enforcement determined that Rosetta shot from his vehicle and from the roadside at several drivers near I-25. Rosetta used various firearms, including a .38 caliber pistol. Several victims suffered injuries and damage to their windshields and other parts of their vehicles.
On April 4, 2020, Rosetta fired a shotgun at a vehicle traveling south on I-25 through the Kewa Pueblo, and the driver of the vehicle was struck in the face by birdshot. Rosetta then shot an ambulance from Santo Domingo Pueblo that responded to a 911 call for the incident. Despite damage to the ambulance windshield, paramedics continued their service and transported the occupants of the first vehicle to the University of New Mexico Hospital.
On April 5, 2020, Rosetta was driving on State Road 22 on the Kewa Pueblo in Sandoval County, New Mexico, when he shot a passing vehicle, narrowly missing the unsuspecting driver. The driver reported the incident to law enforcement, and agents were able to identify Rosetta’s vehicle in surveillance footage.
On April 9, New Mexico State Police officers executed a search warrant on Rosetta’s residence. During the search, officers located a handgun, a shotgun, and ammunition.
Upon his release from prison, Rosetta will be subject to five years of supervised release.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico State Police, the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Spindle is prosecuting the case.
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23-52
Mescalero man charged with assault on federal officerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – 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 Jeremy Daniel Dennis made an initial appearance in federal court on March 14 on a criminal complaint charging him with assault on a federal officer. Dennis, 43, 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 Dec. 25, 2022, Dennis allegedly assaulted a BIA Officer conducting a welfare check on him by punching and kicking the officer and attempting to strangle them by pressing the officer’s bulletproof vest into their throat. The incident occurred in Otero County, New Mexico, within the bounds of the Mescalero Apache Tribe.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Dennis faces up to 8 years in prison.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
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23-51
Mescalero man charged with assault in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Danny Deron Morgan made an initial appearance in federal court on March 14 on a criminal complaint charging him with assault of an intimate partner by strangling in Indian Country. Morgan, 50, 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 Feb. 20, Morgan allegedly assaulted a victim, identified as Jane Doe, by attempting to strangle them in Otero County, New Mexico, within the bounds of the Mescalero Apache Tribe.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Morgan faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
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23-50
Navajo woman charged with involuntary manslaughter in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – 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 Leticia Ashley was arraigned on March 6 on an indictment charging her with involuntary manslaughter and abandonment and abuse of a child. Ashley, 42, of Navajo, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain under supervision pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Ashley on Feb. 23. According to the indictment, on July 29, 2022, Ashley, while under the influence of alcohol, operated a motor vehicle with children in the car and placed those children in a situation which resulted in the death of one and endangered the lives of three others. The incident occurred in McKinley County, New Mexico, within the bounds of the Navajo Nation
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Ashley faces up to 8 years in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly N. Bell is prosecuting the case.
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23-45
Santa Domingo man charged with aggravated sexual abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – 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 Santiago Quintana, Jr. was arraigned on a criminal complaint charging him with aggravated sexual abuse with children and offenses committed within Indian Country. Quintana, 69, a member of the Santa Domingo Pueblo, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the accusations in the criminal complaint, over a period of six years, Quintana sexually abused two victims who had not yet attained the age of 12 when the abuse began.
A criminal complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Quintana faces a minimum of thirty years in prison.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Robert James Booth II is prosecuting the case.
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23-45
Shiprock man pleads guilty to illegal possession of firearmsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – 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 Kendale Johnson pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Johnson, 34, of Shiprock, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
In the plea agreement, Johnson admitted to being a passenger of a vehicle and getting into a dispute with the driver of another vehicle. The dispute resulted in Johnson’s arrest, and he was found to have a 9mm rifle and two bullets in his pocket at that time. Johnson also admitted to possessing a stock rifle, night vision scope, and 9mm ammunition magazine which were in the car.
At the time of the offense, Johnson had a prior conviction for assault with a dangerous weapon. As a convicted felon, Johnson could not legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
At sentencing, Johnson faces up to 10 years in prison followed by up to 3 years of supervised release.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Novaline D. Wilson is prosecuting the case.
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23-43
Navajo man charged with assaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – 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 Gerrick Mariano made an initial appearance in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Mariano, 25, of Thoreau, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing scheduled for March 6, 2023.
A federal grand jury indicted Mariano on Feb. 22. According to the indictment, on Aug. 22, 2022, Mariano pointed a loaded AR-15 at his friend’s chest with the intent of scaring him. When the friend pushed the barrel of the gun away, Mariano shot his friend in the upper-right shoulder. The victim, who survived the shooting, was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Mariano faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation, New Mexico State Police, and New Mexico Park Rangers. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Jones is prosecuting the case.
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23-44
Mexican drug trafficker sentenced to 14 years in federal prisonRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Gregory M. Millard, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA El Paso Division, announced today that Cruz Lopez-Acevedo was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Lopez-Acevedo, 52, of Zacatecas, Mexico, pleaded guilty on March 15, 2022, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms and more of marijuana.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, between March 2005 and September 2008, Lopez-Acevedo was the main supplier of marijuana in Indianapolis, Indiana and was personally responsible for at least 30,000 kilograms, but less than 90,000 kilograms of marijuana which was distributed in Indianapolis and Texas.
Lopez-Acevedo was extradited from Mexico in 2019 with the assistance of the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.
Upon his release from prison, Lopez-Acevedo will be removed from the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Elaine Y. Ramirez is prosecuting the case.
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23-42
Mescalero man charged with assaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – 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 Spencer George Klinekole made an initial appearance in federal court on Feb. 27 facing a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do serious bodily harm. Klinekole, 38, of Mescalero, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing scheduled for March 2.
According to a criminal complaint, on Nov. 2, 2022, Klinekole assaulted two victims in their home with a baseball bat. Klinekole was arrested by Bureau of Indian Affairs officers when he returned to the residence the assault had taken place. The assault occurred on the Mescalero Apache Reservation.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Klinekole faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney R. Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
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23-41
Two men sentenced for robberyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Daniel Montano and Eligius Montano were sentenced to 8 years in prison each. Daniel, 44, of Albuquerque, and Eligius, 25, or Bernalillo, pleaded guilty on Sept. 14, 2022, to interference with interstate commerce by robbery.
On Apr. 18, 2022, Daniel and Eligius, who are father and son, robbed a Metro PCS store in Belen. As the men entered the business, they yelled to “put your hands where we can see them.” When the clerks did not initially cooperate, Eligius put his hands inside of his hoodie as if he had a firearm. The Montanos then told the clerks to face the wall with their hands up before taking one to the back room of the business. The Montanos succeeded in taking nearly $8,000 in merchandise.
The Belen Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaymie L. Roybal is prosecuting the case.
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23-40
Navajo man charged with aggravated sexual abuse of a child in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – 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 Pedro Lee Benally made an initial appearance in federal court facing two charges of aggravated sexual abuse in Indian Country. Benally, 29, of Montezuma Creek, Utah, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending a detention and preliminary hearing held on March 2, 2023.
A federal grand jury indicted Benally on February 23. According to the indictment and other court records, Benally allegedly engaged in a sexual act with a child, identified as Jane Doe. The alleged assault occurred in San Juan County, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Benally may face up to life in in prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case.
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23-38
Columbus man sentenced for drug traffickingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Sergio Ruiz was sentenced to 240 months in prison. A federal jury convicted Ruiz, 58, of Columbus, New Mexico, on one count each of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, and importation of 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine into the United States on June 8.
A federal grand jury indicted Ruiz on March 23. According to the indictment and other court records, on April 28, 2021, Ruiz attempted to cross into the United States at the Columbus Port of Entry, coming from Palomas, Chihuahua, Mexico. Ruiz, a regular crosser at Columbus, was carrying a large amount of cinder blocks and two 55-gallon drums and was directed to the secondary inspection area. A scan revealed an anomaly in the spare tire, prompting inspection by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) canine unit that resulted in a positive alert.
CBP officers removed and inspected the spare tire. Inside the tire, inspectors found five packages containing a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine. The total weight of the five packages was 20.8 kilograms (45.76 pounds).
Upon his release from prison, Ruiz will be subject to 5 years of supervised release.
Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Joni Autrey Stahl and Randy M. Castellano are prosecuting the case.
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23-39
Navajo woman arraigned for involuntary manslaughter 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 Mariah Chapo was arraigned in federal court on February 23, 2023, on a charge of involuntary manslaughter. Chapo, 26, an enrolled member of Navajo Nation, will remain on conditions of release pending trial.
A grand jury indicted Chapo on January 25, 2023. According to the indictment and other records, on February 11, 2022, Chapo crashed her vehicle after driving at a high rate of speed while intoxicated, ultimately killing an unsecured eight-month-old John Doe. The alleged homicide occurred within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Chapo faces up to eight years in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. McGinley is prosecuting the case.
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23-35
Albuquerque man pleads guilty in armed robberies of letter carriersRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Melisa Llosa, Inspector in Charge of the Phoenix Division of U.S. Postal Inspection Service, announced that Cisco Casaus-Alires was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Casaus-Alires, 21, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty on June 29 to robbery of mail, money and other property of the United States and brandishing a firearm during and in furtherance of a crime of violence.
On Nov. 7, 2020, Casaus-Alires robbed a United States Postal Service (USPS) letter carrier at gunpoint in southeast Albuquerque, demanding the letter carrier’s cell phone, USPS keys and mail. On Dec. 26, 2020, in southwest Albuquerque, Casaus-Alires robbed another letter carrier at gunpoint. Casaus-Alires demanded the letter carrier’s wallet, phone and USPS keys, and then demanded that the letter carrier load parcels into Casaus-Alires’ vehicle.
On Dec. 28, 2020, in south Albuquerque, Casaus-Alires robbed a third letter carrier at gunpoint, demanding the letter carrier’s wallet, phone and USPS keys. As Casaus-Alires took mail and parcels from the USPS vehicle, he asked the letter carrier where “the good stuff” is delivered, then fled the area.
“USPS Letter Carriers walk our streets on a daily basis to bring us everything from checks to medicine to gifts,” said United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez. “Delivering mail should not be a dangerous job. We will hold accountable anyone who threatens the safety of those who work tirelessly to serve our community.”
“The highest priority of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigating acts of violence against USPS employees,” stated Melisa Llosa, Inspector in Charge of the Phoenix Division. “Through collaboration with our law enforcement partners, Casuas-Alires is no longer a threat to USPS Letter Carriers or the public. This substantial sentence is a message to all criminals. If you rob a USPS employee, Postal Inspectors will not stop until you are brought to justice. We thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, and the Albuquerque Police Department for their support on this investigation.”
The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated this case with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaymie L. Roybal is prosecuting the case.
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23-36
Sanostee man pleads guilty to voluntary manslaughterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Tyrone Atcitty Nez pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Nez, 33, of Sanostee, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on June 8, 2022, Nez fatally assaulted a man, identified as John Doe, in the home where Nez resides near Sanostee on the Navajo Nation. Nez allegedly punched John Doe in the face, rendering John Doe unconscious. Nez then allegedly stomped the victim in the face several times. John Doe died as a result of his injuries.
Nez faces up to 17 years in prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case.
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23-33
Navajo man pleads guilty to sexual abuse of a minorRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Christian Apachito pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor on Feb. 15, 2023. Apachito, 28, of Tohajiilee, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled.
In his plea agreement, Apachito admitted that on or about November 11, 2020, he engaged in a sexual act with the victim, identified as Jane Doe. The victim is also a member of the Navajo Nation and was at least the age of 12 years but not yet 16 years old at the time. The abuse took place on the Navajo Nation.
By the terms of the plea agreement, Apachito faces not more than 15 years in prison and must register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by the FBI Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly N. Bell and Mark Pfizenmayer are prosecuting the case.
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23-31
Man charged with domestic assault 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 Steven Williams was charged by complaint with assault with a deadly weapon and assault by strangulation. Williams, 28, of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma, appeared in federal court today for a detention hearing and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled.
According to the criminal complaint, over the course of three days in February, Williams allegedly beat his pregnant girlfriend, identified in court records as Jane Doe, so badly she needed immediate medical care at San Juan Regional Medical Center. Jane Doe’s injuries included a broken hand, severe bruising, and knife wounds to her neck, arms, and hands.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Williams faces up to twenty years in prison.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case.
Anyone experiencing domestic violence or who knows someone experiencing domestic violence can reach an advocate at the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY). In New Mexico, the Domestic Violence Resource Center is available by telephone at (505) 843-9123 or online at https://dvrcnm.org/
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23-34
Carlsbad man sentenced for enticement of a childRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Billy George West was sentenced to 14 years in prison and order to pay a $5,000 fine pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015. West, 79, of Carlsbad, New Mexico, pleaded guilty on January 10, 2022.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on April 30, 2021, West exchanged sexually explicit messages via telephone with a nine-year old girl in Florida. During the exchange, West using the screen name “Piper,” sent a photo of his genitalia and received a photo of the victim’s genitalia. West admitted that he knew the victim was a minor.
Upon his release from prison, West will be subject to 5 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Carlsbad Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Marisa A. Ong and R. Eliot Neal are prosecuting the case.
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23-30
Florida man sentenced for manslaughter, assault on the Laguna PuebloRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – 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 Alexis Riego was sentenced to 70 months in prison and a five thousand dollar fine. A federal jury convicted Riego, 50, of Merritt Island, Florida, on Sept. 28, 2022, of four counts of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury committed in 2019.
According to the indictment and other court records, on Sept. 7, 2019, Riego, a commercial motor vehicle driver, recklessly crashed into a line of stationary traffic in a construction zone on Interstate 40 within the Laguna Pueblo. At the time of the crash, Mr. Riego was speeding and using his cellular telephone. The crash caused a six-car pile-up that killed four people and seriously injured two. The crash caused the closure of interstate 40 for several hours.
“When we take the wheel, we take on a collective responsibility for the families who share our highways,” said United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez. “The consequences for failing in that responsibility are grave and irrevocable. While this sentence will not restore the lives that were lost, it serves as a sobering reminder that a moment on video chat can forever change your life, and end the lives of others.”
“The impact of Mr. Riego’s reckless decisions and actions will remain for a long time,” said Raul Bujanda, FBI Special Agent in Charge. “I would like to commend our partners at the Laguna Police Department, New Mexico State Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for working with us to investigate this crime and bringing justice to the victims and their loved ones.”
Upon his release from prison, Riego will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Laguna Police Department and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph M. Spindle, Elisa Dimas and Matthew Nelson are prosecuting the case.
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Two Zuni men charged with assault in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – 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 Christopher Hannaweeke Sr. and Christopher Hannaweeke Jr. made an initial appearance in federal court facing a charge of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country. Hannaweeke Sr., 48, and Hannaweeke Jr., 29, of Zuni, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, will remain detained pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for Feb. 16.
According to a criminal complaint, on Jan. 27, the victim’s mother witnessed a car hit the family’s dog. The victim exited his residence on foot and chased the vehicle suspected of hitting the dog. When the vehicle stopped, the victim recognized the occupants as the defendants. The defendants and a third individual exited the vehicle and Hannaweeke Sr. struck the victim over the head with an unknown object. Once the victim was on the ground, the defendants assaulted the victim by punching and kicking the victim. Multiple witnesses observed the assault as it occurred and intervened. A witness identified one of the assailants as Hannaweeke Jr. The victim suffered serious bodily injury as a result and required surgery.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Hannaweeke Sr. and Hannaweeke Jr. face up to ten years in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case.
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23-27
Two Las Cruces men face federal firearms charges relating to the killing of womanRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Margarito Serena and David Aguilar made an initial appearance in court where they were charged by criminal complaints with federal firearms violations. Aguilar, 26, of Las Cruces, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Serena, 29, of Las Cruces, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Both men will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing scheduled for this week.
According to the complaints, on Jan. 30, Las Cruces Police Officers responded to a report of a gunshot victim at an apartment in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Upon arrival, officers located a deceased victim. The victim’s neighbor told officers that they went to the victim’s apartment after hearing sounds of an argument followed by a loud bang because they knew the victim has previous arguments and altercations with Aguilar. The neighbor stated that Aguilar opened the door holding a black 12-guage shotgun and asked the neighbor to call the police because the victim had shot herself. The neighbor saw Serena sitting on a couch in the apartment’s living room. The neighbor returned to their apartment to dial 911 and later witnessed Aguilar and Serena fleeing the scene.
Following the interview, Las Cruces Police Officers apprehended Aguilar and Serena. When questioned, both Serena and Aguilar admitted to handling the shotgun.
In 2016, Aguilar was convicted of Armed Robbery and Attempted Armed Robbery. In 2013, Serena was convicted of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. As previously convicted felons, neither Aguilar nor Serena can legally possess firearms or ammunition.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Aguilar and Serena face up to 15 years in prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Maria Y. Armijo is prosecuting the case.
Anyone experiencing domestic violence or who knows someone experiencing domestic violence can reach an advocate at the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY). In New Mexico, the Domestic Violence Resource Center is available by telephone at (505) 843-9123 or online at https://dvrcnm.org/.
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23-25
Ohkay Owingeh man arraigned for assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Jerry Segura, Jr., 34, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh, was arraigned in federal court on Feb. 13 on a two-count indictment charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Segura will remain in custody pending trial, which is set for April 17, 2023.
A grand jury indicted Segura on Jan. 25. According to the indictment and other court records, on March 13, 2022, Segura and his father drunkenly drove to Segura’s then-girlfriend’s house. When they arrived at their destination, Segura fired at least 11 gunshots at or near her home from his car. Segura’s girlfriend, her daughter, and the daughter’s three-year-old son were in the home at the time. Segura fired directly at his girlfriend’s daughter when she spotted him through the living-room window. No one was hit by gunfire or otherwise injured.
The alleged assault occurred on the Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh.
Segura was arrested on Feb. 8 and made an initial appearance in court on Feb. 9.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Segura faces up to 10 years in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and a minimum of 10 years in prison for discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Ohkay Owingeh Police Department and Espanola Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
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23-26
New Laguna woman pleads guilty to assault upon a federal officer in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that on Feb. 10, Lynnette Chavez pleaded guilty to assault upon a federal officer. Chavez, 36, of New Laguna, New Mexico, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
In the plea agreement, Chavez admitted to assaulting a Laguna Police Officer by kicking them multiple times. The assault occurred on the Pueblo of Laguna.
At sentencing, Chavez faces up to two years in prison followed by up to three years of supervised release.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with the assistance of the Laguna Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores is prosecuting the case.
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23-28
Two Men Charged in Wire Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Department of the Interior (DOI) Office of Inspector General announced today that James I. Matison, 57, of Boulder, CO, and Jeffrey Ham, 46, of El Prado, NM, made initial appearances in federal court on a indictment charging them with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
According to court documents, from February 2015 through April 2019, Matison and Ham conspired to inflate hours billed to Matison’s employer, WildEarth Guardians, by using the company Ham owned, Timberline Environmental, LLC. All told, Matison and Ham diverted more than $250,000 from WildEarth Guardians.
“The Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General is committed to providing strong oversight for grants and contracts,” said Special Agent in Charge Garrett J. Westfall of the EPA OIG’s Western Division. “With our law enforcement partners, we will hold recipients accountable for ensuring that they use taxpayer funds for their intended purposes in accordance with federal regulations.”
“The Department of the Interior (DOI) Office of Inspector General is committed to working with our law enforcement partners in protecting the integrity of taxpayer funds and aggressively investigating allegations of theft within DOI and other federal programs,” said Jamie DePaepe, Special Agent in Charge, Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General’s Western Region.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Matison and Ham both face 20 years in prison.
Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General investigated this case with assistance from Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy Peña is prosecuting the case.
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23-23
Albuquerque man sentenced for assaulting letter carrierRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Elias Gallegos was sentenced to more than 4 years in prison. A federal jury convicted Gallegos, 27, of Albuquerque, on October 25, 2022, of assaulting a federal officer using a deadly or dangerous weapon.
According to court documents, Gallegos assaulted a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier on Sept. 17, 2021, as the letter carrier was delivering mail on foot near the corner of Constitution Avenue NE and Monroe St. NE in Albuquerque. Gallegos brandished a knife at the letter carrier, chased him, and then threw a rock at him, which missed.
The letter carrier returned to his mail truck and called 911. As Albuquerque police responded to the scene and attempted to approach Gallegos, Gallegos fled on foot. Gallegos jumped several residential backyard fences before police contained him to a shed in the backyard of a residence on Manzano Street. When Gallegos attempted to approach the back door of the residence, officers apprehended him. During a search of the shed where Gallegos had been hiding, officers found a torch lighter and the pocketknife used in the assault.
“The men and women of the U.S. Postal Service brave our streets daily in service of the public,” said United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez. “When those streets level senseless threats, the United States will protect the federal employees who serve our nation and hold accountable those who plague our community with violence.”
“Today’s sentencing of Elias Gallegos shows the determination of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with their law enforcement partners, to vigorously pursue and bring criminals to justice who attempt to commit crimes or harm any postal employee” stated Melisa Llosa, Inspector in Charge of the USPIS Phoenix Division.
Upon his release from prison, Gallegos will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Albuquerque Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Samuel A. Hurtado and Patrick Cordova prosecuted the case.
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23-22
Pediatric surgeon sentenced to prison for possession, distribution of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Guy Rosenschein was sentenced to over 17 years in prison. Rosenschein, 68, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty in federal court on Oct. 15 to seven counts of distribution of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and one count of possession of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Rosenschein first came to the attention of law enforcement in 2016 following two CyberTipline Reports submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) by the online chat provider Chatstep. Chatstep reported that images containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) were posted by a user in Albuquerque, New Mexico. NCMEC forwarded the CyberTipline Reports to the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office, Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, which submitted the reports to the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) for investigation.
BCSO learned that the posts on Chatstep were made from the residence of Rosenschein, then employed as a pediatric urologist and surgeon at Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Based on that information, BCSO Detectives obtained a state search warrant for Rosenschein’s residence. The search revealed numerous electronic devices which contained CSAM.
After BCSO conducted their search, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) learned of the existence of a hidden room, containing a safe, located inside Rosenschein’s residence. The room, which was said to be behind a false wall inside a closet underneath the stairs, was present in the home before Rosenschein purchased it. The FBI obtained a second search warrant to reenter the residence, where they located two safes inside the hidden room. Inside one of the safes, agents located additional CSAM.
In total, law enforcement located approximately 19,116 images and 2,092 videos depicting CSAM on the devices seized from Rosenschein.
In addition to New Mexico, the investigation revealed that Rosenschein worked as a pediatric surgeon in several locations in the United States, including New York, Arkansas, and Missouri. Law enforcement learned of additional allegations in other states that Rosenschein had befriended young male patients before sexually abusing the young boys. The investigation to date has revealed three alleged victims of sexual abuse committed by Rosenschein and charges are pending in Arkansas in association with two of these alleged victims.
“Dr. Rosenschein’s conduct was shameful and heinous,” said United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez. “Distribution and possession of material depicting the sexual assault of children are serious offenses that cause ongoing harm to the victims and encourage the sexual exploitation and rape of minors. These offenses are horrific when committed by any offender, but it is all the more egregious that the offender in this case was a pediatric surgeon. Using a position of trust to exploit the most vulnerable should always come with the maximum penalties under the law.”
“This sentence serves as an important reminder to our community that even a trusted physician has the capability to pursue and possess horrendous materials involving children,” said New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez. “I thank all parties involved for holding Mr. Rosenschein accountable and commend the hard work that my ICAC team dedicated towards this effort.”
“I am proud of our detective's hard work on this case and their collaboration with the FBI,” said Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen. “Thank you to the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico for prosecuting this horrific case. This is a heartbreaking example of true evil lurking in our community, and I am relieved knowing Rosenschein has been sentenced to prison.”
Upon his release from prison, Rosenschein will be subject to 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah J. Mease and Holland S. Kastrin are 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/.
The case also was brought as a part of the New Mexico ICAC Task Force’s mission, which is to locate, track, and capture Internet child sexual predators and Internet child pornographers in New Mexico. There are 86 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies associated with the New Mexico ICAC Task Force, which is funded by a grant administered by the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office. Anyone with information relating to suspected child predators and suspected child abuse is encouraged to contact federal or local law enforcement.
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23-20
Mescalero man pleads guilty to assault 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 Julius Scott Mendez pleaded guilty to assault of a spouse, intimate partner or dating partner resulting in substantial bodily injury and assault of a spouse, intimate partner or dating partner by strangling. Mendez, 30, of Mescalero, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
In the plea agreement, Mendez admitted to attacking the victim, who is also an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe by kicking, punching, and strangling her until she lost consciousness. As a result of Mendez’s assault, the victim suffered substantial bodily injury to her head, face, and neck and had severe bruising over most of her body. The assault occurred on the Mescalero Apache Reservation.
At sentencing, Mendez faces up to ten years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Matilda McCarthy Villalobos and Eliot Neal are prosecuting the case.
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23-19
Former Prisoner Transport Officer Sentenced for Civil Rights OffenseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Anthony Buntyn was sentenced to 24 months in prison. A federal jury convicted Buntyn, 55, a former prisoner transport officer, on September 28, 2022, of willfully violating the Due Process rights of the detainees in his custody.
According to court documents and the evidence introduced at trial, Buntyn was a prisoner transport officer employed by Prisoner Transportation Services of America (PTS), a company hired by local jails and prisons throughout the country to transport people who had been arrested pursuant to out-of-state warrants and needed to be transported back to the states that had issued the warrants. Buntyn was the supervising officer on a March 2017 PTS transport that stopped in New Mexico during a cross-country trip. Evidence at trial established that Buntyn knowingly created, and otherwise subjected the detainees to, dangerous, painful, and unhealthy conditions on the prisoner transport van. Specifically, evidence at trial showed that Buntyn would retaliate against detainees who complained of transport conditions by handcuffing the detainees behind their backs and forcing them to remain for hours in a small segregation cage inside the van, depriving detainees of meals and access to water while they remained in the cage, cranking up the heat in the already-hot van in retaliation for detainees complaining that, as they passed through the southwestern desert, they were in danger of overheating, and failing to provide the detainees with required restroom breaks until the detainees were left with no choice but to urinate in empty bottles or on the floor.
“Prisoner transport officers, even when they are employed by private companies, must abide by the laws and protect the constitutional rights of the people in their custody,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The department will continue to vigorously enforce our nation’s laws to ensure that officers who break the law — including those who are driving the nation’s backroads in prisoner transport vans and may therefore wrongly believe they can act with impunity — are held accountable.”
“Detainees are entitled to basic human dignity,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez for the District of New Mexico. “Those who are responsible for their detention, from transport personnel to law enforcement and corrections officers, have the same duty to protect the rights and safety of their charges. Any abuse of detainees or failure to provide necessities is a violation of that trust and a violation of the law, and it will be roundly prosecuted.”
“During the cross-country transport of these individuals, a stop was made by the PTS at the Shawnee County Detention Center in Topeka, Kansas. If not for the Detention Center notifying the FBI of the detainees’ condition upon arrival, the FBI may have never known or been able to seek justice for these victims. Buntyn’s actions disparage the very core of what he was employed to do – protect these individuals while in his custody,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub of the Kansas City Field Office. “He knowingly disregarded the detainees’ basic civil rights, putting these individuals in harm’s way. Today’s sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s unique ability to conduct a successful nationwide investigation alongside our law enforcement partners. ”
Upon his release from prison, Buntyn will be subject to 1 year of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the FBI Kansas City Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Brawley for the District of New Mexico and Trial Attorney Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Division, with assistance from Special Litigation Counsel Samantha Trepel prosecuted the case.
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23-18
Deming man sentenced to 30 years in prison for producing child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Guillermo Rodriguez Garcia was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Garcia, 40, of Deming, New Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court on July 6, 2022, to production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
According to court records, Garcia came to the attention of the Deming Police Department in 2020 when officers responded to an incident relating to an accusation of sexual abuse of a child. During a follow-up interview, Garcia admitted that he had sexually molested a 12-year-old in his care “numerous times,” as well as another minor beginning when they were 10 years old. Garcia was arrested on state charges at that time. Garcia was federally arrested when it was discovered he had produced videos of himself sexually abusing the 12-year-old.
“Child victims of sexual assault are often doomed to a life sentence in the shadow of their abuse,” said United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez. “While Garcia will spend three decades in prison, the effects of his heinous actions will echo for far longer. That is why, during my term as the United States Attorney, I have personally prosecuted sex offenders and will use the weight of the federal government to protect our children from these pernicious predators.”
“This sentence matches the revolting actions of a despicable criminal who exploited innocent children for his personal gratification,” said Francisco B. Burrola, special agent in charge of HSI El Paso. “Homeland Security Investigations will never relent in our efforts to put child predators where they belong – behind bars!”
Upon his release from prison, Garcia will be subject to lifetime supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this case with assistance from the Sixth Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the Deming Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Marisa A. Ong and Matilda McCarthy Villalobos are 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/.
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23-21
Los Lunas man sentenced for production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Martin Perea was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Perea, 42, of Los Lunas, pleaded guilty on Aug. 17, 2022, to two counts of production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
According to court records, on July 1, 2015, the victim’s mother discovered pornographic content of the eight-year-old victim on a memory card from Perea’s cellular telephone. The victim’s mother confronted Perea who apologized and blamed the victim’s mother for his conduct. Then, Perea threatened to burn the victim’s mother and her house down. The victim and her mother fled to Spokane, Washington where they contacted the Spokane Police Department.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation later recovered numerous video files of child pornography on the memory card.
In his plea agreement, Perea admitted that from Oct. 8, 2014, to March 2015, he knowingly used the victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. Perea acknowledged that the victim was seven and eight years old at the time Perea committed the crimes.
Upon his release from prison, Martin will be subject to 25 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by the FBI Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office, the Spokane Police Department and the New Mexico Computer Forensic Laboratory as part of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Assistant United States Attorney Jaymie L. Roybal prosecuted 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/.
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23-16
Former New Mexico Taxation and Revenue employee sentenced for wire fraud, identity theft, money launderingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced yesterday that George Martinez was sentenced to 94 months in prison. Martinez, 46, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty on July 11, 2022, to 42 counts each of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft and six counts of money laundering. The Court ordered Martinez to pay $1,216,205 in restitution, and issued a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $689,797.
From 2009 through July 16, 2018, Martinez used his position as the Unit Supervisor/Bureau Chief of the Questionable Refund Unit at the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department to fraudulently alter tax refunds and direct them to bank accounts that he controlled. Martinez perpetrated the fraud by copying tax returns that had already been processed or creating new returns in taxpayers’ accounts. He altered information such as taxpayers’ Social Security numbers, bank account numbers and withholding amounts in the returns. By changing the withholding amounts, he increased the amounts of the refunds. Martinez fraudulently directed $1,216,205 into accounts in his control.
“Today’s sentence sends a strong message: If you abuse the public trust, you will pay the price,” said New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Secretary Stephanie Schardin Clarke.
“We will aggressively protect your tax dollars from fraud, especially when driven by the greed of a corrupt government official,” stated United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez. “Our system of governance depends on the trust and faith of the people we serve. There are few more important pressure points for our democracy than the system that funds it. We work tirelessly with our partners to ensure public dollars serve the public.”
“New Mexico taxpayers expect their public servants to be honest, ethical and beyond reproach,” stated IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Albert Childress. “In this case, the defendant not only violated the public trust, he personally enriched himself by committing identity theft, altering tax refunds and directing nearly $700,000 of ill-gotten gains to himself.”
“When a supervisor entrusted with the taxpayers’ money enriches himself like this defendant did, it’s a serious crime that can shake people’s confidence in their government,” said Raul Bujanda, FBI Special Agent in Charge. “That’s why the FBI teamed up with IRS Criminal Investigation and the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department to aggressively investigate this case and make sure justice was done. We hope today’s sentencing sends a warning to anyone in government who might be tempted to illegally help themselves to the public till: The FBI will come after you and will make sure you pay for every penny you stole.”
Upon his release from prison, Martinez will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department’s Tax Fraud Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Schied and Jeremy Peña prosecuted the case. Taxation and Revenue has strengthened its internal controls by overhauling system access privileges and updating business procedures. Officials continue to monitor daily business activity for abnormalities and suspicious transactions.
TFID also provides training to employees on how to spot potential fraud and operates a hotline for employees and the public to report suspicious activity. Possible fraud can be reported by calling 1-866-457-6789 or by email at [email protected].
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23-15
Mescalero man charged with assault in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – 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 Dennett Jerome Chee was arraigned on Jan. 20 on an indictment charging him with assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country. Chee, 36, of Mescalero, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Chee on Jan. 10. According to the indictment and other court records, in May of 2022, Chee allegedly assaulted a victim, identified as John Doe, in Otero County, New Mexico, on the Mescalero Apache reservation. The assault resulted in serious bodily injury to John Doe.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Chee faces up to 10 years in prison.
The FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
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23-13
Tucumcari man facing federal child exploitation chargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – 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 Joseph Wayne Gadman was charged with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Gadman, 40, of Tucumcari, New Mexico, appeared in federal court on Jan. 19 for a detention hearing and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to a criminal complaint, on Jan. 4, Gadman allegedly used a foreign fetish website called Fetlife to contact a user who, unbeknownst to Gadman, was an undercover agent of the FBI. Under the username Gadmanj40, Gadman allegedly indicated that he was interested in the undercover agent’s interests. Believing that the user with whom he was communicating had children, Gadman allegedly arranged to meet the undercover agent’s “family” for the purposes of engaging in sexual acts with two minors – a 12-year-old and an 8-year-old. On Jan. 13, Gadman travelled from Tucumcari to Albuquerque, where he was arrested. At the time of his arrest, Gadman was in possession of $60 to pay the “mother,” as arranged, and had KitKat bars and condoms in his vehicle for the “children.”
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Gadman faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case as part of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The ICAC Task Force Program is a nation-wide network of task forces including over 90 federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies in New Mexico dedicated to investigating, prosecuting and developing effective responses to Internet crimes against children.
Assistant United States Attorney Jaymie L. Roybal is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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/.
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Taos man pleads guilty to kidnapping and assault in domestic violence caseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Richard Mascarenas pleaded guilty on Jan. 13 to one count each of kidnapping, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and assault of an intimate partner by strangling and suffocating. Mascarenas, 37, of Taos Pueblo, and an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Taos, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which is scheduled for April 19, 2023.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, from April 17, 2022, to May 4, 2022, Mascarenas assaulted Jane Doe and held her against her will at a residence in Taos Pueblo. In his plea, Mascarenas admitted that he would not allow Jane Doe to leave, contact her family or report the assaults because he did not want anyone to know how severely he had hurt her.
Mascarenas admitted that he pushed, pulled, threw, grabbed, and punched Jane Doe, causing serious bodily injury. Mascarenas also assaulted Jane Doe by strangling and suffocation. Medical imaging and records show that Jane Doe suffered blood clots and a stroke, as well as tears to her carotid artery.
The kidnapping and assaults took place on the Taos Pueblo in Indian Country.
By the terms of the plea agreement, Mascarenas faces nine years in prison.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Novaline D. Wilson is prosecuting the case.
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Shiprock woman sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison for assault in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Faith Nicholle Sullivan was sentenced on Jan. 9 to five years and ten months in prison. Sullivan, 28, of Shiprock, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty on July 12 to assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian Country.
On June 8, 2021, Navajo Police responded to a report of a fight involving Sullivan at her residence in Shiprock on the Navajo Nation. As one of the responding officers was speaking with Sullivan outside the residence, Sullivan, who was intoxicated, pulled a knife and began to swing it at the officer. The officer tackled Sullivan and took away the knife. A second officer deployed a taser and the officers subdued Sullivan.
During the assault, Sullivan stabbed the first officer in the leg. The officer was transported to the Northern Navajo Medical Center for care.
Upon her release from prison, Sullivan will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigation and the Navajo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores prosecuted the case.
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Bosque Farms man sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for assault and firearms convictionsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Everett Paquin was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison. Paquin, 59, of Bosque Farms, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Isleta, pleaded guilty on Sept. 6 in federal court to assault with a dangerous weapon and being felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On Dec. 21, 2020, Paquin assaulted his then-girlfriend, identified in court records as Jane Doe, at his home on the Pueblo of Isleta. Paquin admitted to pushing, slapping, punching and kicking the victim, as well threatening and injuring her with a utility knife. During the assault, Paquin would not allow the victim to leave and repeatedly threatened her and her family with harm and death. Jane Doe is also an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Isleta.
At the time of the assault, Paquin possessed a loaded shotgun in his home. As a convicted felon, Paquin could not legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
Upon his release from prison, Paquin will be subject to three years of supervised release. The terms of the agreement also require Paquin to complete inpatient and outpatient substance abuse programs, an anger management program and a domestic violence prevention program.
The Isleta Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores prosecuted the case.
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Man sentenced to 17 and a half years in prison in New Mexico truck stop fraud caseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Bruce Beckner was sentenced on Jan. 4 to 17 years and six months in prison. A federal jury convicted Beckner, 60, on April 7, 2022, on one count of bank fraud, one count of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit fraud.
Beckner was convicted of major financial crimes in California before relocating to New Mexico, where he assumed the alias “Bill Evans” and orchestrated a new multimillion-dollar fraud scheme involving a truck stop business. Beckner recruited co-defendant Arthur Herlihy, 74, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 2007 to join him in developing a business plan and securing financing to renovate a truck stop in Deming, New Mexico.
On July 7, 2009, Beckner and Herlihy obtained a loan for $135,165 from First New Mexico Bank. The stated purpose of the loan was to pay off a prior loan secured by a liquor license, and Beckner and Herlihy pledged the liquor license as collateral for the new loan as part of the transaction. At the time it received the loan from First New Mexico Bank, the truck stop business did not own the liquor license outright, but still owed money to the broker who financed the earlier liquor license transaction, which occurred in December 2008. Herlihy and Beckner falsely represented to the bank that the liquor license would be held free and clear of any liens or lawsuits. Beckner also signed the transaction documents using his alias, “Bill Evans,” and submitted an inaccurate personal financial statement to the bank concealing outstanding restitution debt he owed as the result of his prior criminal conviction. Rather than pay off the license, Beckner and Herlihy used the loan for other expenses and the license remained encumbered to the previous loan. In 2011, the truck stop business defaulted on the loan from First New Mexico Bank.
On Oct. 2, 2009, Beckner and his associates obtained over $16 million in loans for Fuel4Less, LLC, through the New Mexico Finance Authority, including $12 million from Virtual Realty Enterprises and $4 million from U.S. Bank Development Corporation. Beckner signed several documents associated with the loan under the false name “Bill Evans,” representing himself as facilities and operating manager of Fuel4Less. Beckner also submitted a false résumé under the name “Bill Evans” that omitted material information and claimed experience and previous employment he did not have. These loans also went into default in 2011, after which a New Mexico state judge turned the business over to a court-appointed receiver, who filed a bankruptcy petition.
Beckner and others solicited money from various investors purportedly to be used in a “fuel factoring opportunity.” They told investors that this opportunity would involve one component of the enterprise purchasing fuel from outside suppliers that would then be sold back to another component at a higher price, and the profits from the internal sales would be shared by the investors. Instead, there were no internal sales, and the investments, some of which were sent by wire transfers, were used to repay other investors or to cover various operational expenses, including Becker’s salary.
Beckner and his associates sent investors promissory notes and other documents stating their investments were secured by truck stop assets. They did not tell investors that the pre-existing loans made the promissory notes essentially worthless.
Soon after law enforcement confronted him in 2011, Beckner fled the United States and relocated permanently to the island of Roatan in Honduras. Beckner was arrested by the Honduras Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit (TCIU) of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on March 7, 2019, at the San Pedro Sula airport in Honduras. At the time of his arrest, Beckner had been residing on Roatan for several years. Honduras approved his extradition on April 11, 2019, and he was transferred into U.S. custody on April 16, 2019.
Upon his release from prison, Beckner will be subject to five years of supervised release.
Herlihy pled guilty in Feb. 2017, to making a false statement to a bank on a loan document, and was sentenced on Aug. 11, 2017, to three years of supervised release.
HSI, IRS Criminal Investigation and the Special Investigations Division of the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean J. Sullivan and Taylor F. Hartstein are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, HSI Honduras TCIU, and the HSI ICE Country Attaché in Honduras assisted with the extradition.
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Albuquerque attorney sentenced to prison for tax fraudRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Robert Fiser was sentenced to one year and three months in prison. Fiser, 62, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty on July 11, 2022, to one count each of conspiracy and aiding and assisting in preparation of a false and fraudulent return.
At the time of the offenses, Fiser was a registered attorney in New Mexico specializing in tax law and the preparation of federal income tax returns. One of his clients was Victor Kearney. From October 2009 to November 2013, Fiser assisted Kearney in preparing income tax returns for tax years 2007 through 2011. Fiser signed each of these returns, knowing that they did not include taxable income that Kearney received in those years from the Mary Pat Abruzzo-Kearney Testamentary Trust B and C.
On Nov. 20, 2013, Fiser signed amended tax returns for Kearney for tax years 2009, 2010 and 2011 and a tax return for Kearney for tax year 2012, falsely stating on each of them that he had signed on June 1, 2013.
In his plea agreement, Fiser admitted that on Oct. 1, 2014, he sent an email message to Kearney advising him not to contact the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) about the failure to file tax returns. On Sept. 2, 2016, Fiser had a conversation with Kearney about not filing income tax returns. Fiser falsely stated under oath at a deposition on Nov. 4, 2016, that the reason that he and Kearney did not report income from the Mary Pat Abruzzo-Kearney Testamentary Trust B and C in Kearney’s original tax returns for 2008-2011 was that they intended to file amended returns after filing those original returns, though Fiser knew he and Kearney had no intention to do so.
Upon his release from prison, Fiser will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Kearney is currently awaiting trial, scheduled to begin March 6.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly A. Brawley and Sean J. Sullivan are prosecuting the case.
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