District of New Mexico
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Justice Department Announces $49.85 Million in Office on Violence Against Women Grants to Support Legal Services and Related Programs for SurvivorsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice has announced nearly $50 million in Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) grants to provide survivors of gender-based violence with access to legal services and improve effective coordination of justice systems impacting victim and family safety. Specifically, OVW awarded a total of $35,659,296 to 59 grantees under the Legal Assistance for Victims Program, which addresses the legal needs of survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. In addition, earlier this month, OVW’s Justice for Families Program awarded $14,191,208 to 26 projects that aim to improve the response of the civil and criminal justice systems to families with a history of domestic violence. The Justice for Families Program also supports supervised visitation and safe exchange of children.
“These grants will help expand access to the services and support that are essential to bringing justice within reach for survivors of gender-based violence,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Department’s Office on Violence Against Women will continue its important work to empower survivors with the resources they need to navigate our justice system, including by expanding access to legal representation, language assistance, and court-related programs.”
“Legal services and systems, including family courts, have a tremendous impact on survivors’ and their families’ livelihood, wellbeing, and freedom,” said OVW Acting Director Allison Randall. “Meaningful representation for survivors is vital, but can be difficult to attain in the aftermath of violence, or when someone is still trying to find safety. Grantees under OVW’s Legal Assistance for Victims and Justice for Families Programs help survivors navigate complicated processes and potentially dangerous points along the way, including supervised visitation, protection orders, and divorce.”
In New Mexico, the Eight Northern Pueblos Council, Inc. will receive a grant award of $599,361 through the Legal Assistance for Victims Program. In addition to addressing survivors’ civil and criminal legal needs, the Legal Assistance for Victims Program expands pro bono legal assistance for survivors.
The Justice for Families Program also finances court and court-related programs, provides legal assistance for survivors, and supports training for court personnel, child protective services workers, and others.
Later this year, OVW will launch the new Expanding Legal Services Initiative (ELSI) under the Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program. ELSI will support entities that do not yet have a legal representation program and need assistance establishing one. Grantees will receive specific training to help create a legal program from the ground up, while prioritizing racial equity and underserved communities. OVW will release the solicitation for this new initiative in the fall. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations and tribal governments or tribal organizations that intend to establish a program to provide legal representation to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking. OVW will provide additional details at upcoming informational virtual events and answer questions from participants. Registration for virtual events will be added as it becomes available: https://www.justice.gov/ovw/events.
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies, and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
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Albuquerque man sentenced to more than 5 years in prison for auto loan fraud schemes exceeding $1.5 millionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Rick Benavidez, 47, of Albuquerque, was sentenced in federal court to five years and three months in prison for leading and organizing two auto loan fraud schemes involving a total intended loss of more than $1.5 million.
Benavidez pleaded guilty on April 29 to two counts of bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of making fraudulent returns, statements or other documents. In his plea agreement, Benavidez admitted to conspiring with his co-defendant, Damian Maron, 41, of Albuquerque, to carry out a loan fraud scheme against federally insured credit unions in Bernalillo County. Benavidez and Maron convinced lower-level members of the conspiracy to apply for loans totaling $359,662.97. Benavidez gave the loan applicants false pay stubs overstating their income to improve the likelihood of loan approval. Benavidez, Maron and their co-conspirators did not actually use the proceeds of the loans to buy vehicles. Instead, they arranged for the lenders to disburse the loan funds to a fictitious auto dealership. The co-conspirators then divided the proceeds of the fraud and used the money for their own personal benefit.
Benavidez also admitted to taking part in a separate auto loan fraud scheme involving an intended loss of $1,154,493.42, of which $999,993.42 was actually disbursed by financial institutions. Benavidez agreed to make restitution to the victims of his crimes in an amount to be determined at a separate hearing. Benavidez must complete a five-year term of supervised release following his imprisonment.
In his plea agreement, Benavidez also admitted to submitting a false document to the Internal Revenue Service while his auto loan fraud case was pending. This false document purported to designate United States District Judge William P. Johnson as Benavidez’s legal fiduciary. Benavidez knew this designation was false when he submitted the document.
Maron previously pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 2.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Taylor F. Hartstein and Sean J. Sullivan are prosecuting the case.
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Mexican national faces federal drug trafficking charges in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Carlos Arturo “Ochenta” Quintana, 40, was arraigned on an indictment charging him with conspiracy to import a controlled substance into the United States.
A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Quintana, along with 10 other co-defendants, on July 23, 2015. According to the indictment and other court records, in February and March 2011, Quintana, Jesus Salas-Aguayo, Elmy Hermosillo, Raul Corella-Hernandez and Jorge Adrian Ortega-Gallegos allegedly distributed over 100 kilograms of marijuana to be imported into the United States for the Vicente Carrillo Fuentes Organization (VCFO).
The VCFO is a transnational criminal enterprise based in Chihuahua, Mexico, and is responsible for smuggling tons of narcotics into the United States. The VCFO is one of the oldest and most powerful criminal organizations in Mexico. Since its beginnings, the cartel has focused on drug trafficking, but has expanded into other criminal activities such as human trafficking, arms trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, and large-scale commercial gasoline theft from the Mexican government.
Quintana was extradited to the United States and taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service on Aug. 18. Quintana made an initial appearance in federal court on Aug. 19, and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Quintana faces a minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Las Cruces-Doña Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Quintana from Mexico, and the Department thanks the Government of Mexico for the extradition.
U.S. Attorney Uballez and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Y. Armijo and Randy Castellano are prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer indicted for depriving a U.S. citizen of rightsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Oscar Orrantia was indicted on Aug. 17 for willfully depriving the rights of a citizen of the United States. Orrantia, 36, of Santa Teresa, New Mexico, made an initial appearance in federal court today. On Aug. 19, Orrantia was arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility, Special Agent in Charge Office, El Paso, Texas.
According to the indictment, on June 18, 2019, at the Columbus Port of Entry in Luna County, New Mexico, Orrantia allegedly deprived the victim, identified as John Doe, of his constitutional right to be free from unreasonable seizures. The indictment also alleges that Orrantia’s actions resulted in bodily injury to John Doe.
“Those in whom we entrust the power and responsibility to enforce our laws have a paramount duty to protect the rights provided under the United States Constitution,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “We hold these rights sacred. Justice requires that we hold accountable those who abuse their positions and fail to uphold that responsibility.”
“CBP stresses honor and integrity in every aspect of our mission, and the overwhelming majority of CBP employees and officers perform their duties with honor and distinction, working tirelessly every day to keep our country safe,” said CBP El Paso Director of Field Operations Hector Mancha. “CBP does not tolerate corruption or abuse within our ranks, and our Office of Professional Responsibility responded to this complaint in a thorough and timely manner.”
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Orrantia faces up to 10 years in prison.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility, Special Agent in Charge Office, El Paso, investigated this case with assistance from the Luna County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Marisa A. Ong and Mark Standridge are prosecuting the case.
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Taos Pueblo man indicted for aggravated sexual 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 that Amadius Archuleta was arraigned on Aug. 18 on an indictment charging him with aggravated sexual assault in Indian Country. Archuleta, 22, of Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the indictment and other court records, on July 2, Archuleta contacted a 14-year-old victim, identified as Jane Doe, through Instagram. Archuleta allegedly invited the victim to meet. When they met later that evening, Archuleta allegedly led the victim to an abandoned house to smoke marijuana and provided her with alcohol. Though the victim told Archuleta that she had only recently turned 14 years old, Archuleta allegedly initiated sexual contact with the victim. Jane Doe asked Archuleta to stop, but he allegedly forcibly engaged in sexual conduct with the victim.
Jane Doe was taken to Holy Cross Hospital in Taos for examination, then transported to Solace Crisis Treatment Center in Santa Fe.
Archuleta and Jane Doe are both enrolled members of the Pueblo of Taos, and the alleged offense was committed in the Taos Pueblo.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Archuleta faces a minimum of 30 years and up to life in prison in prison.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
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Los Lunas man pleads guilty to production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Martin Perea, 42, of Los Lunas, New Mexico, pleaded guilty on Aug. 17 to production of child pornography. Perea will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Perea on Aug. 25, 2015. According to court records, on July 1, 2015, the victim’s mother discovered pornographic content of Perea and the victim on a memory card from Perea’s cellular telephone. The mother confronted Perea about the pornographic content and, two days later, fled with the victim to Spokane, Washington. Once in Spokane, the mother contacted local law enforcement authorities to file a complaint against Perea.
The FBI obtained a federal search warrant for the card, and on July 28, 2015, a search was performed at the New Mexico Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory. The memory card contained numerous video files of child pornography.
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.
By the terms of the plea agreement, Perea faces 17 to 25 years in prison 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 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 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.
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Dulce man indicted for kidnapping, 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 Matthew Vicenti was arraigned on a three-count indictment charging him with assault by a habitual offender, kidnapping, and assault of an intimate partner by strangling. Vicenti, 32, of Dulce, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Tribe, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Vicenti on June 15. According to the indictment, from Dec. 26, 2021, to Dec. 28, 2021, Vicenti allegedly confined and assaulted his intimate partner, identified as Jane Doe. At the time, Vicenti had been convicted previously on at least two occasions in Tribal court of offenses against a spouse and intimate partner. On Dec. 28, 2021, Vicenti allegedly assaulted Jane Doe by strangling and suffocation.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Vicenti faces up to 10 years in prison for assault by a habitual offender and assault of an intimate partner by strangling. Vicenti faces up to life in prison for kidnapping.
The Jicarilla Apache Police Department investigated this case. Special Assistant United States Attorney Chelsea Van Deventer is prosecuting the case.
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Man from Mescalero sentenced to 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 Romeo Martinez was sentenced on Aug. 16 to two years and nine months in prison for assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country. Martinez, 23, of Mescalero, New Mexico, pleaded guilty on Jan. 25.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on June 29, 2021, Martinez arrived at his grandmother’s residence on the Mescalero Apache Reservation and confronted his grandmother and her sister, identified in court records as “M.B.” Martinez, who is not an enrolled member of any federally-recognized Tribe, was not supposed to be on the Mescalero Apache Reservation because he had been banished by the Tribal Council for alleged violent assaults on Tribal members. Martinez accused his grandmother and M.B. of having his vehicle towed, and began to scream at them. Martinez attacked M.B., hitting her face multiple times, causing a laceration to her forehead, which required four sutures, and a broken nose and septum. As a result of Martinez’s assault, the victim’s nose is disfigured and her ability to breathe properly has been impacted.
M.B. is an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe.
Upon his release from prison, Martinez will be subject to three years of supervised release.
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 Matilda McCarthy Villalobos prosecuted the case.
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Jicarilla 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, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Patrick Maestas was arraigned on Aug. 17 on a two-count indictment charging him with assault by strangling and suffocating and domestic assault by a habitual offender. Maestas, 33, of Dulce, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Maestas on Aug. 9. According to the indictment and other court records, Maestas and the victim, identified as Jane Doe, had been in a relationship since 2017 and have a child together. Maestas and Jane Doe live separately with their respective parents.
On July 8, Maestas was staying with Jane Doe at her mother’s residence in Dulce. After going to bed, Maestas and Jane Doe began to argue. Maestas then allegedly used the collar of Jane Doe’s shirt to strangle her. This allegedly occurred in front of their child, who pleaded for his parents to stop fighting.
Jane Doe attempted to call her family for assistance, but was unable to reach anyone. Later, while Maestas was in the restroom, Jane Doe took her son, fled the residence and went to her uncle’s home nearby. She was later taken to San Juan Regional Medical Center for injuries related to strangulation.
The alleged assault occurred on the Jicarilla Apache Nation. Jane Doe is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.
Maestas was previously convicted in Jicarilla Apache Nation Tribal Court in 2019 of assault and battery and in 2021 of domestic violence.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Maestas faces 10 years in prison for each count.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Chelsea Van Deventer is prosecuting the case.
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Gallup man sentenced to five years in prison for child sex abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Armando Segovia, 32, of Gallup, New Mexico, was sentenced on Aug. 12 to five years and three months in prison for abusive sexual contact of a minor in Indian Country. Segovia pleaded guilty on April 6.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, between July 1, 2016, and Nov. 1, 2016, Segovia, who is non-Indian, engaged in sexual contact with the victim, identified in court records as Jane Doe. The victim, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, was less than 12 years old at the time of the abuse. Segovia committed the abuse on the Zuni Pueblo in McKinley County, New Mexico.
Upon his release from prison, Segovia will be subject to 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Gallup Police Department investigated this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea Van Deventer 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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Brothers from Mexico charged with transporting aliens resulting in deathRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Jorge Garcia-Rascon, 21, and Julio Garcia-Rascon, 19, both of Mexico, have been charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to smuggle illegal aliens resulting in death. Jorge Garcia-Rascon made an initial appearance on July 29 and will remain in custody pending arraignment, which has not been scheduled. Julio Garcia-Rascon made an initial appearance on Aug. 12 and will remain in custody pending trial.
According to the complaint, on July 27, Border Patrol agents attempted to make a traffic stop on an SUV traveling on New Mexico Highway 9 in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. The SUV failed to yield and continued at a high rate of speed. As the agents ceased their pursuit and turned off their emergency lights and sirens, the SUV lost control and flipped and rolled off the road.
When law enforcement approached the vehicle, Jorge Garcia-Rascon and Julio Garcia-Rascon allegedly attempted to flee on foot but were apprehended. Law enforcement on the scene established that there were 13 occupants in the vehicle, all of whom were undocumented non-citizens. Two of the people in the vehicle died during the rollover. All of the other occupants except Jorge and Julio Garcia-Rascon were transported to University Medical Center in El Paso, Texas, for treatment.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Jorge and Julio Garcia-Rascon face up to life in prison or death.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this case with assistance from U.S. Border Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Joni Autrey Stahl is prosecuting the case.
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Las Cruces man charged for threatening to burn New Mexico State UniversityRead 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 John Oliver Hamilton made an initial appearance in federal court on Aug. 12 on a criminal complaint charging him with threatening to burn a building by means of fire. Hamilton, 54, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing scheduled for Aug. 17.
According to the complaint, on July 27, Hamilton allegedly made a string of telephone calls to the Office of Institutional Equality at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. In those calls, as alleged in the complaint, Hamilton repeatedly threatened to burn the school. Under federal law, it is illegal to willfully make any threat by telephone to destroy any building by means of fire or an explosive.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Hamilton 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 New Mexico State University Police. Assistant United States Attorney Joni Autrey Stahl is prosecuting the case.
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Farmington man charged with federal firearms violationsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Allen Anthony Gonzales was charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Gonzales, 46, of Farmington, New Mexico, appeared in federal court for a detention hearing on Aug. 1 and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
As alleged in the complaint, on July 22, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) obtained and executed a search warrant for Gonzales’ residence on Auburn Avenue. During the search, law enforcement located and seized 26 firearms and a large amount of ammunition. Gonzales was previously convicted of multiple felonies in California, including voluntary manslaughter, armed robbery, fraudulent checks, domestic violence and possession of a controlled substance. As a convicted felon, Gonzales cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Gonzales faces up to 10 years in prison.
ATF and the Farmington Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Anderson Hatfield and Timothy D. Trembley are prosecuting the case.
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Albuquerque drug trafficker sentenced to 17 years in prisonRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that John Seibel was sentenced on Aug. 2 to 17 years and six months in prison. Seibel, 26, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty on March 15 to two counts of distribution of 50 grams and more of a substance and mixture containing methamphetamine, four counts of distribution of 40 grams and more of fentanyl, two counts of distribution of 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, and one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
In his plea, Seibel admitted to leading a drug trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl. According to his plea agreement and other court records, on several occasions between April 1, 2021, and June 15, 2021, Seibel sold drugs to an undercover agent from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Seibel sold fentanyl pills manufactured by others, but also acquired a pill press and other components to fabricate his own fentanyl pills for distribution. On May 12, 2021, Seibel sold the undercover agent drugs, including fentanyl pills that Seibel and others manufactured with the pill press. In total, between April 1, 2021, and May 27, 2021, Seibel sold to the undercover agent 2,437.8 grams of methamphetamine and 546.4 grams of fentanyl.
Seibel was arrested following a sale of 1,368.6 grams of fentanyl and 1,333 grams of methamphetamine on June 15, 2021. That same day, law enforcement executed search warrants on Seibel’s residence and other locations associated with his drug trafficking activity. In Seibel’s home and vehicle, agents recovered a total of $84,139.19, which Seibel admitted were proceeds of his unlawful drug trafficking. At a residence in Tijeras, New Mexico, agents recovered the pill press, a powder granulator and other materials Seibel used to manufacture fentanyl pills. Agents also recovered 833.7 grams of powdered fentanyl, 400 grams of blue fentanyl pills, 48.3 grams of yellow fentanyl pills and 7,762 grams of methamphetamine. At a stash house in Albuquerque, agents located 634 grams of methamphetamine and 3,869.4 grams of fentanyl pills.
“John Seibel endangered the lives of countless people in the callous pursuit of his own enrichment,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “The illegal and unregulated manufacture and trafficking of counterfeit pills has contributed to the toll of fentanyl overdoses that have ravaged the District of New Mexico and communities across the nation. We will work diligently to halt these manufacturing operations and prosecute those who would profit from their flagrant disregard for the lives of our people.”
“While drug overdose/poisoning deaths continue to rise in our nation, Mr. Seibel made these dangerous illegal drugs readily available to New Mexicans for his profit,” said Greg Millard, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA El Paso Division. “DEA and its partners will continue to hold accountable those responsible for poisoning our communities, as we step up our campaigns to educate the public about the dangers of illicit drug use and medication misuse.”
Upon his release from prison, Seibel will be subject to five years of supervised release.
Among the agencies that participated in the investigation were the DEA Albuquerque District Office, DEA El Paso Division, DEA El Paso Division SRT, DEA Las Cruces District Office, DEA St. Louis Division, DEA South Central Laboratory, DEA Aviation, FBI Albuquerque Field Office, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, Albuquerque Police Department, Pueblo of Laguna Police Department, Pueblo of Pojoaque Police Department, Valencia County Sheriff’s Office, Rio Rancho Police Department, Torrance County Sheriff’s Office, Belen Police Department and Albuquerque Fire & Rescue.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico prosecuted this case.
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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 today that Julius Mendez was charged by criminal complaint with assault resulting in serious 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, made an initial appearance in federal court today and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the complaint, on April 22, Mendez allegedly attacked the victim as she slept in her home on the Mescalero Apache Reservation. The victim, who is also an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, awakened to Mendez allegedly kicking her. Mendez allegedly began damaging the victim’s home, then returned to kicking and punching her until she lost consciousness.
As a result of Mendez’s alleged assault, the victim suffered serious injuries to her head, face and neck and had severe bruising over most of her body.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Mendez faces up to 10 years in prison.
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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Doña Ana man sentenced to 21 years in prison for producing of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Juan Miguel Alvarez was sentenced on July 2 to 21 years and 10 months in prison. Alvarez, 47, of Doña Ana, New Mexico, pleaded guilty on Oct. 21, 2020, to production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
In his plea agreement, Alvarez admitted to using the application “Talkatone” to communicate and begin a relationship with a 13-year-old victim. On Feb. 26, 2020, Alvarez persuaded the victim to send nude photos of herself to him.
Upon his release from prison, Alvarez will be subject to five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this case with assistance from the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office and the Las Cruces Police Department as part of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa A. Ong and Aaron O. Jordan 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/. 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.
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Previously convicted sex offender from Nevada sentenced to 14 years in prison after failing to update sex offender registrationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Anthony Thompson was sentenced on July 26 to 14 years in prison. Thompson, 33, pleaded guilty on April 30, 2021, to failure to register as a sex offender, escape from custody and possession of child pornography.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, Thompson was convicted in 2009 and again in 2012 for possession of child pornography. Thompson was finishing his second prison term in a residential reentry center in Las Vegas, Nevada, when he escaped the facility on Feb. 6, 2020. He was later found and arrested in Roswell, New Mexico, by the U.S. Marshals Service on June 18, 2020. Thompson had not notified authorities in Nevada or New Mexico that he would be residing or working in New Mexico, in violation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. At the time of his arrest, Thompson was in possession of child pornography. In addition to the charge of escape from custody, Thompson also had a pending charge of possession of child pornography in the District of Nevada.
Upon his release from prison, Thompson will be subject to 10 years of supervised release and must continue to register as a sex offender.
The U.S. Marshals Service, FBI, and Roswell Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Joni Autrey Stahl and Matilda McCarthy Villalobos prosecuted the case.
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Silver City man sentenced to 20 years in prison in carjacking and firearms caseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Daniel “Grumpy” Hernandez, 34, of Silver City, New Mexico, was sentenced on July 26 to 20 years in prison.
A federal jury convicted Hernandez on May 6, 2021, for conspiracy to commit carjacking, carjacking, brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, theft of a firearm, possessing a stolen firearm, and two additional counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hernandez pleaded guilty on April 29 to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. As a previously convicted felon, Hernandez cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
Hernandez and his co-conspirator, Savannah Padilla, 24, were indicted on Nov. 13, 2019. Padilla pleaded guilty on Feb. 23, 2021, to conspiracy to commit carjacking, carjacking and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to court records, on Sept. 7, 2018, and continuing to Sept. 8, 2018, Hernandez and Padilla committed a carjacking in Grant County, New Mexico. Hernandez and Padilla demanded money from the victim at gunpoint, and later demanded that the victim get out of the driver’s seat and into the back seat of the vehicle. The victim fled in fear for his life.
Upon his release from prison, Hernandez will be subject to five years of supervised release.
The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Silver City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Armijo and Ry Ellison prosecuted the case.
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Dulce man indicted for assault, kidnapping 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 Shondo DeJesus was arraigned on a two-count indictment charging him with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and kidnapping in Indian Country. DeJesus, 35, of Dulce, New Mexico, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted DeJesus on July 14. On March 5, DeJesus allegedly assaulted a victim, identified in the indictment as Jane Doe, at his home in Ducle. Afterward, DeJesus allegedly kept Jane Doe in the home against her will until March 7. DeJesus allegedly committed the crimes on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation. Both DeJesus and Jane Doe are enrolled members of the Jicarilla Apache Tribe.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, DeJesus faces up to 10 years in prison for assault resulting in serious bodily injury and up to life in prison for kidnapping.
The Jicarilla Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case.
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Mexican nationals charged with illegally transporting aliens resulting in deathRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico announced today that Jose Luis Aguilera-Guzman and Jesus David Nuñez-Monreal have been charged with illegally transporting a group of undocumented non-citizens, three of whom died as they crossed into the United States. Aguilera-Guzman, 25, and Nuñez-Monreal, both of Mexico, made an initial appearance in federal court today where they face charges of conspiracy and bringing in and harboring aliens resulting in death. Aguilera-Guzman and Nuñez-Monreal will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing scheduled for July 27.
According to a criminal complaint, on July 19, Aguilera-Guzman and Nuñez-Monreal allegedly led a group from Mexico into Luna County, New Mexico. The group had run out of water and were lost when some members of the group became unable to continue traveling northward. Responding to a distress call, Border Patrol Agents, Luna County Sheriff Deputies and a New Mexico National Guard helicopter searched for the group and found seven members of the party. Agents learned that three people had been left behind, and those members were later found dead.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Aguilera-Guzman and Nuñez-Monreal face up to life in prison or death.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this case with assistance from U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Luna County Sheriff’s Office and the New Mexico National Guard. Assistant United States Attorney Mark Standridge is prosecuting the case.
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Mescalero woman 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 Lucinda Ann “Pug” Yuzos was charged by criminal complaint with assault of a spouse or intimate partner resulting in substantial bodily injury in Indian Country. Yuzos, 48, of Mescalero, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, made an initial appearance in federal court today and will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing scheduled for July 27, 2022.
According to the complaint, on May 31, Yuzos allegedly assaulted her intimate partner at a residence on the Mescalero Apace Reservation. After confronting the victim, who is also an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, Yuzos allegedly struck him across the head with a blunt object. The victim sustained a gash across his temple and forehead and was flown by medivac to University Hospital in El Paso, Texas, for emergency treatment.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Yuzos faces up to five 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 Joni Autrey Stahl is prosecuting the case.
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Las Cruces woman sentenced to four years in prison for wire fraud and false tax returnsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Sandra Roberto was sentenced to four years and three months in prison for wire fraud and false and fraudulent tax returns. Roberto, 44, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, pleaded guilty on Jan. 29, 2021.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, Roberto began working for Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT) in 2009, first as a fuel clerk and later in the accounting office. Beginning in 2011 and continuing to 2018, Roberto exploited her position to embezzle approximately $1,130,215 from MVT.
MVT used third-party payment processors Comdata and EFS, for whom Roberto was the primary contact at MVT. Roberto would load cash advances onto debit cards used by MVT drivers, then contact Comdata or EFS for authorization codes to remove extra funds from the cards. Roberto would then use blank checks obtained from Comdata or EFS, enter the authorization codes and deposit the funds directly into her own bank account. From 2011 to 2018, Roberto deposited 1,735 such checks. Roberto the used the money for personal expenditures such as rent and the purchase of vehicles, flights, hotel accommodations and other items.
MVT discovered Roberto’s embezzlement during an annual financial reconciliation in January 2018. When confronted, Roberto admitted to the embezzlement and was terminated from her position.
In her plea agreement, Roberto admitted that she knowingly failed to report any of the illegally embezzled funds as income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). For example, for 2017, Roberto embezzled $260,705 from MVT, but only reported $31,932 in income. The sum of Roberto’s additional tax due from 2013 to 2018 is $250,473.
Upon her release from prison, Roberto will be subject to three years of supervised release. Additionally, Roberto has agreed to pay restitution to MVT in the amount of $1,130,215 and to the IRS in the amount of $250,473, for a total principal amount of $1,380,688.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Ry Ellison and Richard Williams prosecuted the case.
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Third defendant arraigned for Shiprock assaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Raynorma Rae Billy was arraigned on July 20 on an indictment charging her with conspiracy to commit assault with a dangerous weapon and assault with a dangerous weapon with the intent to do bodily harm. Billy, 34, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
A grand jury indicted Raynorma Billy and co-defendants Raydell Billy and Alvin White on May 24. According to the indictment and other court records, on April 11, Raynorma allegedly drove Raydell and White to a residence at South Side Non-profit Housing in Shiprock with the intent to assault a victim, identified as John Doe. After they entered the residence, Raynorma allegedly prevented the other occupants of the residence from intervening while Raydell and White assaulted John Doe. The indictment alleges that White threatened John Doe with a machete and both Raydell and White allegedly beat John Doe with their fists.
The alleged assault occurred on the Navajo Nation.
Raydell Billy was arraigned on May 27. White was arraigned on May 31. Raydell Billy and White will remain in custody pending trial.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Raydell, Raynorma and White each face up to five years in prison for conspiracy and up to ten years in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon with the intent to do bodily harm.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Mark Pfizenmayer is prosecuting the case.
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Luna County inmates sentenced for assault on corrections officersRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Johnny Black and Henry Felix were sentenced to prison for their parts in an assault on corrections officers at the Luna County Detention Center in Deming, New Mexico.
Black and Felix, as well as co-defendants Jacob Merkel and Victor Sanchez, pleaded guilty to assault upon a person assisting federal officers involving physical contact.
According to the plea agreements and other court records, on Feb. 17, 2021, Black became angry with corrections staff and started arguing with them. When staff attempted to escort him out of the pod, Black struck an officer, starting an altercation that other inmates joined. Sanchez saw the altercation and joined Black in striking the officer. As the altercation continued, Merkel grabbed another officer and punched him in the face. After Merkel and the officer went to the ground, Merkel got back up and continued the altercation. At that time, Felix emerged from the crowd and attacked the second officer from behind, striking him in the head and body.
On July 15, Black was sentenced to one year and nine months in prison, with one year and six months to run consecutive to his prior sentence of 14 years and three months in prison for using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and being an accessory after the fact. On June 10, Felix was sentenced to one year and three months in prison, with nine months to run consecutive to his prior sentence of 10 years for possession with intent to distribute heroin and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Merkel, who pleaded guilty on Feb. 7, was sentenced to one year and three months in prison, with nine months consecutive to his prior sentence of 13 years and 10 months for robbery and discharge of a firearm. Sanchez, who pleaded guilty on Feb. 9, was sentenced to one year and nine months in prison, with 12 months to run consecutive to his prior eight-year sentence for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The U.S. Marshals Service and Luna County Corrections Officers investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall prosecuted the case.
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Taos woman faces charge of tamperingRead 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 Genevieve McDonald has been charged with tampering with a witness, victim or an informant. McDonald, 60, and an enrolled member of the Taos Pueblo, will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the complaint, beginning on May 4, McDonald allegedly began calling, texting and messaging a person identified in court records as Jane Doe. Despite repeated warnings from law enforcement, McDonald allegedly continued to send messages of a harassing nature to Jane Doe, including through Facebook Messenger and by posting messages on her own Facebook wall.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, McDonald faces up to 20 years in prison.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case.
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Santo Domingo woman indicted for assault on a 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 Henryetta John was arraigned on July 11 on an indictment charging her with assault on a federal officer inflicting bodily injury. John, 29, of Santo Domingo, New Mexico, and a member of the Pueblo of Santo Domingo, will remain on conditions of release pending trial.
A federal grand jury indicted John on June 15. As alleged in the indictment, on Oct. 20, 2021, John forcibly assaulted and resisted a federal law enforcement officer with the Bureau of Indian Affairs while the officer was engaged in the performance of her official duties. The officer sustained injuries as a result of John’s alleged actions. John allegedly committed the offense on the Santo Domingo Pueblo in Sandoval County, New Mexico.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, John faces up to 20 years in prison.
The FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
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Albuquerque man indicted for tax evasion and false statementRead 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 Arturo Archuleta was arraigned on July 13 on an indictment charging him with five counts of attempting to evade or defeat taxes and one count of false statements relating to healthcare matters. Archuleta, 50, of Albuquerque, will remain on conditions of release pending trial.
A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment on June 15. According to the indictment, from 2014 to 2018, Archuleta worked as an office manager at ABQ Injury Clinic in Albuquerque. During that time, Archuleta allegedly attempted to conceal taxable income from the IRS. Archuleta allegedly made false entries and altered accounting records of ABQ Injury Clinic, causing the clinic not to file Form 1099s and Form W-2s recording his income. Archuleta also allegedly used cash and a nominee bank account under a fictitious name to avoid scrutiny.
The indictment also alleges that on March 27, 2018, Archuleta made false statements, claiming that he was homeless and that he had zero monthly income, in connection with the delivery of and payment for healthcare benefits, items and services involving Centennial Care and United Healthcare. Centennial Care operates Medicaid in New Mexico through managed care organizations, including United Healthcare.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Archuleta faces up to five in prison for attempting to evade or defeat taxes and up to five years in prison for false statements relating to healthcare matters.
The FBI investigated the healthcare component of this case, with IRS Criminal Investigation investigating tax evasion. Assistant United States Attorney Taylor F. Hartstein is prosecuting the case.
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Previously convicted sex offender sentenced to 35 years in prison for federal child pornography crimesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Donald Alvin Tolbert was sentenced on July 12 to 35 years in prison. Tolbert, 53, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty on July 8, 2019, to 12 counts of distribution, receipt, and possession of videos and images containing child pornography.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, between July 17, 2012, and September 20, 2012, Tolbert sent and received numerous images and videos of child pornography by email. Tolbert then transferred several of those pornographic images and videos between his multiple email accounts. Tolbert also stored videos and images of child pornography on his mother’s computers.
At the time Tolbert committed these crimes he had been convicted of sexual offenses previously in New Mexico. In 2006, Tolbert was convicted of two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor in the third degree, one count of kidnapping, one count of bribery of a witness and one misdemeanor count of battery.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will bring the full weight of the law to bear upon those who sexually exploit children,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “This case is an example of how federal, state, and local law enforcement cooperate together to keep our children safe. Most importantly, I thank the victims and witnesses who bravely shared their stories during the course of this case; your bravery has made a difference.”
Upon his release from prison, Tolbert will be subject to 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
The Albuquerque office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New Mexico Attorney General’s Office, New Mexico State Probation and Parole, and the New Mexico Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory investigated this case as part of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. U.S. Attorney Uballez and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristopher N. Houghton 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/. 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.
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Navajo man sentenced to eight years 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 Meredith Yazzie, 51, of To’hajiilee, New Mexico, was sentenced on July 12 to eight years and four months in prison. Yazzie pleaded guilty on Sept. 13, 2021, to assault in Indian Country resulting in serious bodily injury and assaulting a federal officer.
In his plea agreement, Yazzie admitted that on May 25, 2020, he intentionally stabbed a man in the torso with a knife, causing a puncture to the man’s heart and lungs. During his apprehension on June 11, 2020, Yazzie raised a hatchet menacingly at a federal officer. The assaults occurred on the Navajo Nation in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.
Upon his release from prison, Yazzie will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Spindle prosecuted the case.
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Las Cruces man arraigned on federal charges related to shooting deathRead 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 Rudy Garcia was arraigned on a five-count indictment. Garcia, 35, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Garcia on June 22. According to the indictment, on Jan. 25, Garcia allegedly shot and killed another man during a drug deal involving fentanyl. The indictment charges Garcia with conspiracy, distribution of fentanyl, using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and in furtherance of such a crime, discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime resulting in death, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. At the time of the alleged offenses, Garcia was a convicted felon and could not legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted on all counts, Garcia faces up to life in prison or death.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Randy M. Castellano and Matthew Ramirez are prosecuting the case.
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Deming man pleads guilty to 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 James Dooly Pollock, 37, of Deming, New Mexico, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. Pollock will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
On Dec 30, 2021, the father of a 14-year-old victim submitted his daughter’s cell phone to the Truth or Consequences Police Department (TCPD) and reported that the cell phone contained video of an adult male having sex with the victim. After obtaining the father’s permission and a search warrant, TCPD transferred the cell phone to New Mexico State Police (NMSP) for extraction of the phone’s contents.
In his plea agreement, Pollock admitted that on Dec. 7, 2021, he used WhatsApp to send a video of himself engaged in sexually explicit conduct with the victim.
Pollock faces a minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison and must register as a sex offender.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), NMSP and TCPD investigated this case as part of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Marisa A. Ong 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/. 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.
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Peralta, New Mexico, pharmacy agrees to settlement relating to violations of the Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Joe’s Pharmacy of Peralta, New Mexico, has agreed to pay to the United States $50,000 representing civil penalties under Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
The agreement settles civil claims against Joe’s Pharmacy arising from Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on-sight inspections on Aug. 7, 2018, and March 5, 2019, and the process by which Joe’s Pharmacy returned or reverse-distributed its controlled substances inventory following the March 5, 2019, inspection. Joe’s Pharmacy failed to account for 24,422 doses of controlled substances, a majority of which were opioid analgesics. The inspections also revealed 112 additional record-keeping violations and four dispensing violations. In the return process, Joe’s Pharmacy failed to account for 1,231 doses of controlled substances and 15 doses of listed chemicals.
“Pharmacies are on the front lines of preventing the abuse of opioids and other controlled substances in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “Pharmacies are responsible for ensuring that controlled substances are only dispensed through a valid prescription for legitimate medical purposes. The failure of a pharmacy to account for opioids and other controlled substances exposes New Mexicans to the risk that these substances will be diverted and abused.”
“Pharmacies, and all registrants, must do their part to ensure that prescription medications are not misused and abused,” said Greg Millard, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division. “Because we want safe and healthy communities, DEA will continue to utilize its regulatory oversight to ensure these entities comply with the rules set forth in the Controlled Substance Act.”
Assistant United States Attorney Sean Cunniff and Auditor Julie Chappell represented the United States in this matter.
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Bosque Farms man sentenced to four years 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 today that Gregory Jojola, 32, of Bosque Farms, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Isleta, was sentenced to four years and two months in prison. On Nov. 24, 2020, Jojola pleaded guilty to one count of assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to an intimate partner and two counts of assault of an intimate partner by strangling and suffocating.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on Aug. 30, 2019, Jojola assaulted his intimate partner, identified in court records as Jane Doe, at the home they shared in Bosque Farms on the Pueblo of Isleta. Jojola admitted that he assaulted Jane Doe by intentionally striking and wounding her. Jojola twice held Jane Doe down and strangled her to the point she thought she was going to die because she could not breathe. Jojola continued to strangle Jane Doe as she pleaded for her life.
Upon his release from prison, Jojola will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The Isleta Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Thomas J. Aliberti prosecuted the case.
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Albuquerque man sentenced to 14 years in prison for federal robbery and firearms convictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Jacquan Abe, 24, of Albuquerque, was sentenced on July 7 to 14 years and three months in prison. A federal jury convicted Abe on Feb. 25 on one count each of robbery, using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and possession of a stolen firearm.
On Aug. 6, 2019, Abe confronted an employee of an automobile repair shop on Eubank Boulevard, which is directly behind the house where Abe lived. Abe accused the auto business of spying on his home with its security cameras, and the shop employee became frightened by Abe’s aggressiveness. The employee retrieved a pistol from inside the shop and returned to the front of the business where Abe was standing. Abe attacked the shop employee and they wrestled on the ground. The gun became loose and Abe picked it up. He made several attempts to shoot the weapon at the shop employee’s head, but no bullets discharged because the gun’s safety mechanism was engaged.
Still armed with the gun, Abe ran into a nearby insurance business. Abe pointed the gun at a sales agent and demanded she show him where the business kept its cash. The sales agent took Abe to the back of the business where he took money from a petty cash box before attempting to flee. A worker from a neighboring smoke shop confronted Abe with a gun. Abe tripped and dropped his gun, which the smoke shop worker picked up as Abe fled.
After releasing video footage to the news media, the Albuquerque Police Department received an anonymous tip identifying Abe. Employees of the auto shop, insurance business and smoke shop all positively identified Abe in photo arrays, and Abe was arrested.
Upon his release from prison, Abe will be subject to five years of supervised release.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Trembley and Sean J. Sullivan prosecuted the case.
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Deming man pleads guilty to producing child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Guillermo Rodriguez Garcia pleaded guilty on July 6 to production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Garcia, 40, of Deming, New Mexico, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
In his plea agreement, Garcia admitted that on Aug. 27, 2021, he produced a video of himself engaging in sexual conduct with a victim who was 12 years old. Garcia produced the video with a cellphone. Garcia faces a minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison 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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Man from Fruitland sentenced to five years 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 today that Jamieson Chad Mason was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison. Mason, 29, of Fruitland, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty on Aug. 17, 2021, to assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian Country.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on Oct. 3, 2020, Mason was present at a residence for a birthday party, remaining mostly outside while others were inside preparing food. Mason entered the residence and took a chef’s knife from the kitchen. Holding the knife behind his back, Mason entered the living room where multiple members of his family were seated. He asked, “So which one do I do first?” and then approached the victim, who was sitting on a couch. Mason pushed the victim’s torso forward and stabbed her in the back multiple times, causing her serious bodily injury. Mason fled the home and threw the knife in a nearby river.
The assault took place on the Navajo Nation. The victim, who passed away from unrelated causes at a later date, was an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.
Upon his release from prison, Mason will be subject to three years of supervised release and mandatory outpatient substance abuse treatment.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Navajo Nation Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander F. Flores and Joseph M. Spindle prosecuted the case.
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Prewitt man sentenced to five years in prison for manslaughter 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 June 30 a federal judge sentenced Brandon Charley of Prewitt, New Mexico, to five years and three months in prison for voluntary manslaughter in Indian Country. Charley pleaded guilty on Sept. 8, 2021.
According to the plea and other court records, Charley got into an altercation with the victim and shot him from a motor vehicle in a remote area near Prewitt, New Mexico. The shooting occurred on the Navajo Nation, and Charley and the victim are enrolled members of the Navajo Nation. Following Charley’s imprisonment, he will be placed on supervised release for three years.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph M. Spindle and Letitia Carroll Simms prosecuted the case.
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Albuquerque men sentenced to prison for sex traffickingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Adonis Baker, 37, and Inkosi Grandberry, 40, both of Albuquerque, were sentenced for their parts in a sex trafficking ring.
Baker pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, and admitted that he used narcotics and physical force to cause victims to engage in prostitution. Baker and his co-conspirators advertised the victims online and used cellphones to arrange clients for the women. The victims were not allowed to keep any money paid to them for sex and were expected to work when they were told. The conspirators used motel rooms to harbor the victims. Baker was sentenced to 14 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
Grandberry pleaded guilty to transportation for prostitution by coercion and enticement. In his plea, Grandberry admitted that on June 3, 2015, he aided and abetted Baker in persuading a victim, identified in court records as Jane Doe 1, to travel from Phoenix to Albuquerque for prostitution. Grandberry was sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
A third defendant, Leotha Williams, 61, of Memphis, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to transportation for prostitution by coercion and enticement. In his plea, Williams admitted that he and Baker approached a victim, identified as Jane Doe 2, at a bus stop in Albuquerque between June 2016 and September 2016. Williams and Baker instructed the victim to get into a vehicle with them. They then traveled to Colorado Springs, Colorado, where Williams ensured that the victim engaged in prostitution. On July 16, 2020, Williams was sentenced to five years in prison, after which he will be subject to five years of supervised release.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Albuquerque Police Department, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, and Deliver Fund, an anti-human trafficking, non-governmental organization. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Letitia Carroll Simms and Joseph M. Spindle are prosecuting the case.
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Texas man charged with two bank robberies in ClovisRead 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 James Edward Robinson, Jr., was charged by criminal complaint with two counts of bank robbery. Robinson, 50, made an initial appearance in federal court today and will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing.
According to a criminal complaint, on June 17, Robinson allegedly entered the Washington Federal Bank on North Prince Street in Clovis, New Mexico, and waited for an open teller station. Robinson allegedly approached a teller, handed her a grocery bag and demanded she put all the money from her station in the bag. Robinson then allegedly demanded that the teller take the bag to another teller, and demanded that the second teller put all the money from her station in the bag as well. After collecting the money, Robinson allegedly fled the bank.
On June 27, Robinson allegedly entered the US Bank on North Prince Street. Robinson allegedly approached a teller and handed her a bag for the money from her station. After taking the money, Robinson allegedly left the bank and entered a vehicle parked at another business nearby.
Clovis Police later identified and arrested Robinson.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Robinson faces up to 20 years in prison.
The Roswell Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Clovis Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Tavo Hall is prosecuting the case.
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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, announced that Cisco Casaus-Alires 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. Casaus-Alires, 21, of Albuquerque, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, 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.
By the terms of the plea agreement, Casaus-Alires faces 16 to 20 years in prison.
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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Moriarty man found guilty in fraud schemeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that a federal jury returned a guilty verdict on Milton Boutte, 77, of Moriarty, New Mexico, on June 27. The jury convicted Boutte of conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Boutte will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
Boutte and three other men were charged by indictment with exploiting the now defunct Big Crow Program Office at Kirtland Air Force Base to perpetuate a scheme to defraud the United States. Boutte, along with George Lowe, 60, of Fort Washington, Maryland, Jose Diaz, 63, of El Paso, Texas, and Arturo Vargas, 59, also of El Paso, conspired to submit fraudulent invoices to federal agencies. Beginning in 2004, Boutte, who was then the Director of the Big Crow Program Office, and Lowe, a lobbyist, schemed with Diaz and Vargas, owners of minority-owned small businesses that had sole-source contracts with the Big Crow Program Office, to pay lobbyists, consultants and contractors with funds fraudulently obtained from the United States. The conspirators disguised the nature of the claims for lobbying services provided by Lowe as well as other unauthorized subcontracts and expenditures. The Big Crow Program Office was not authorized to lobby or to expend appropriated funds for lobbying activities under the contracts.
On April 4, 2018, Diaz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and two counts of fraud against the United States. In his plea agreement, Diaz admitted that over the course of the conspiracy Miratek and Vartek received approximately $8.4 million from the government, of which Boutte required those small businesses to pay nearly $4.1 million to lobbyists, consultants and contractors that Boutte had retained. Of that sum, Miratek and Vartek diverted more than $900,000 to Lowe, and another government contractor paid Lowe an additional $300,000. Diaz faces up to ten years in prison for each count.
On Sept. 12, 2018, Vargas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and faces up to 21 months in prison. On March 5, 2020, Lowe pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and faces up to 10 years in prison.
Boutte faces up to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States and up to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
All four men are awaiting sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Major Procurement Fraud Unit of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Command, Defense Criminal Investigations Services, Defense Contract Audit Agency – Investigative Support, U.S. Small Business Administration Office – Office of Inspector General, and General Services Administration – Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy S. Vasquez and Jeremy Peña are prosecuting the case.
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Man from El Guique, New Mexico, sentenced to five years in prisonRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Julian Lucas Garcia was sentenced to five years in prison. Following a five-day trial, a federal jury convicted Garcia, 33, of El Guique, New Mexico, on Sept. 17, 2021, of one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury, one count of operating an off-highway vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs resulting in bodily injury, and one count of operating an off-highway vehicle on a paved road resulting in bodily injury.
On July 4, 2019, on the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, Garcia, a non-Indian, was recklessly driving an ATV without headlights in dark conditions through an area crowded with people waiting to watch a Fourth of July fireworks celebration at the Ohkay Owingeh Casino. The victim, identified as Jane Doe, an enrolled member of the San Ildefonso Pueblo, was crossing the road when Garcia accelerated and struck her. The collisions threw her into the air and 69 feet down the road. Doe was seriously injured and suffered traumatic brain injury, broken ribs, and a knee injury requiring a skin graft.
Jane Doe was initially transported to Presbyterian Española Hospital, then immediately flown to the University of New Mexico Hospital’s Trauma Center for emergency treatment. She underwent multiple surgeries and months of treatment in intensive care units and rehabilitation centers. However, after battling the injuries she suffered in the crash for over two years, Jane Doe passed away on Nov. 9, 2021.
Witnesses, including responding law enforcement, emergency medical personnel and hospital staff testified that Garcia smelled and appeared intoxicated. During questioning by law enforcement, Garcia refused his consent to provide a blood alcohol sample.
“As we approach the Fourth of July holiday, today’s sentence brings our collective accountability into sharp relief,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “Three years ago, Julian Garcia’s recklessness forever took a treasured member of our community, and in doing so Garcia’s family also lost of member of theirs to five years in federal prison. What began as a celebration ended in tragedy, all in one moment of careless self-indulgence. This is a sobering reminder that we are each members of a larger community and, as such, that we have a responsibility to keep one another safe.”
“The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services Northern Pueblos Agency and the Ohkay Owingeh Tribal Police Department share the sorrow the San Ildefonso Pueblo has experienced as a result of this tragedy,” said Brenda Gonzales, BIA-OJS Special Agent in Charge. “While nothing can be done to bring Jane Doe back, the family now has closure to allow them to begin healing.”
Upon his release from prison, Garcia will be subject to three years of supervised release. Garcia was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and must pay $7,570 in restitution.
The Northern Pueblos Agency of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Office of Justice Services, the Ohkay Owingeh Tribal Police Department, and the New Mexico State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander F. Flores and Kyle T. Nayback prosecuted the case.
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Albuquerque man sentenced to five years in prison for federal firearms violationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Genaro Ramos, 36, of Albuquerque, was sentenced to five years in prison for possession of a machinegun. Ramos pleaded guilty on March 30.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, in July 2021, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) received information from a business owner who had been approached by Ramos about purchasing 200 Glock firearms that would be taken to Mexico. An ATF undercover agent then made contact with Ramos, who informed the agent that he was purchasing AK-type firearms and 9mm firearms.
In August 2021, the agent sent Ramos photos of two Glock firearms and two AK-type firearms, one of which was fully automatic. In his plea agreement, Ramos admitted that he intended to traffic the firearms to Mexico and knew that one of the firearms was a machinegun. They agreed on a price of $2,600 and arranged to meet. On Aug. 24, 2021, Ramos met with undercover agents. Ramos inspected the firearms, paid the agents $2,600, and took possession of the firearms, including the machinegun. ATF agents arrested Ramos after he had taken possession of the firearms.
Assistant United States Attorney Jaymie L. Roybal prosecuted the case.
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New Mexico Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristopher N. Houghton receives 2021 DOJ Criminal Division Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished ServiceRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – On June 22, Assistant United States Attorney Kristopher N. Houghton was selected as a recipient of a 2021 Criminal Division Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service. Houghton was selected for this award to recognize his superior performance through exceptional leadership over the Department of Justice’s extraditions and operations program in Colombia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since February of 2020, Houghton has been on special detail as Deputy Judicial Attaché and now Judicial Attaché for the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section of the Department of Justice.
In 2021, Houghton and Deputy Judicial Attaché Jamie Mickelson hired, trained and led a team of local staff in Bogotá, Colombia, and worked closely with the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs jointly completing 190 extraditions and submitting over 200 provisional arrest requests to the Government of Colombia. Houghton’s work resulted in the arrest and extradition of Dairo Úsuga David (alias “Otoniel”), whom Colombia’s President likened to Pablo Escobar, as well as the extradition of four individuals identified by the Attorney General as Consolidated Priority Organization Targets, the development of countless narco-terrorism cases and bilateral public corruption cases, and the arrest for extradition of a group responsible for drugging, kidnapping and robbing U.S. special forces soldiers. Additionally, Mr. Houghton served as principal counsel to the U.S. Ambassador on all bilateral law enforcement matters, including during the challenging COVID-19 pandemic.
“I am proud of Mr. Houghton’s work towards maintaining the Department’s most effective bilateral criminal justice relationship in the Western Hemisphere,” said United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez. “It is an honor to lead this talented team of attorneys, and Mr. Houghton’s exemplary service represents the standard of excellence our dedicated staff works every day to achieve. Mr. Houghton’s contributions have ensured that justice is never beyond our reach.”
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Mescalero man sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison for firearms violationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Wallace Reid Rice was sentenced on June 23 to three years and 10 months in prison. Rice, 29, of Mescalero, New Mexico, and a citizen of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, pleaded guilty on Nov. 18, 2021, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on July 25, 2021, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Police responded to a report of domestic violence at Rice’s residence on the Mescalero Apache Reservation. An investigation revealed that Rice was in possession of a 9mm handgun and ammunition. At the time, Rice had been convicted in federal court of possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and had been convicted in tribal court of domestic violence. As a previously convicted felon and a person previously convicted of domestic violence, Rice cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Upon his release from prison, Rice will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The Mescalero Agency of the Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Matilda McCarthy Villalobos prosecuted the case.
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Statement from United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez on Supreme Court Ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health OrganizationRead the Press Release
I share the Attorney General’s sentiments set out in a press release issued today regarding the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization:
“The Justice Department strongly disagrees with the Court’s decision” which “deals a devastating blow to reproductive freedom in the United States,” with “immediate and irreversible impact on the lives of people . . . with the greatest burdens felt by people of color and those of limited financial means.”
The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act “prohibits anyone from obstructing access to reproductive health services through violence, threats of violence, or property damage.” The United States Attorney’s Office will “continue to protect healthcare providers and individuals seeking reproductive health services,” in the District of New Mexico, where those services remain legal.
“The ability to decide one’s own future is a fundamental American value, and few decisions are more significant and personal than the choice of whether and when to have children.
“Few rights are more central to individual freedom than the right to control one’s own body.
“The Justice Department will use every tool at our disposal to protect reproductive freedom. And we will not waver from this Department’s founding responsibility to protect the civil rights of all Americans.”
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New Mexico duo indicted for kidnapping and murder 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 Gilbert John, Jr., 33, of Brimhall, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, and Kendra K. Panteah, 34, of Zuni, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, have been arraigned in federal court. John was arraigned on March 30, charged with second degree murder in Indian Country. Panteah was arraigned on July 23, charged with kidnapping in Indian Country resulting in death. Pending trial, John will remain in custody and Panteah was conditionally released to a halfway house. A trial date has not been scheduled.
According to the indictment and other court records, in July 2019, the victim, identified in court records as John Doe, traveled with Panteah and two other people to Witch Wells, Arizona, and back to New Mexico. At some point, passengers in the car allegedly beat John Doe and put him in the trunk of the car. The group then travelled to Pinehill and then Gallup, New Mexico, when Panteah allegedly called John because she didn’t know what to do.
Panteah allegedly travelled to Gilbert John’s apartment and told him what happened. The two then allegedly drove from Gallup into the Navajo Nation and drove around for a day with John Doe still in the trunk. Eventually, they stopped the car near Bass Lake where John Doe regained consciousness. John Doe was able to open the trunk and got out, and Gilbert John then allegedly stabbed John Doe with a machete and knife. Gilbert John and Panteah then allegedly put John Doe back in the trunk and sat on it to prevent John Doe from getting out until John Doe stopped moving.
John drove the car to a residence in Standing Rock, New Mexico. While allegedly attempting to remove the car’s tracker, John disabled the car and could not repair it. The car was left at the residence for about 10 days before John allegedly returned and towed the car down Pipeline Road where he drove it into a canyon. He then allegedly went to Gallup for gasoline, returned to the car, doused it, and set it alight.
The alleged offenses took place on the Navajo Nation and John Doe is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, John and Panteah face life in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores is prosecuting the case.
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Federal jury finds Shiprock man guilty of 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 a federal jury returned a guilty verdict on Christopher Kee, 28, of Shiprock, New Mexico. The jury convicted Kee of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm.
A grand jury indicted Kee on May 25, 2022. According to the indictment and other court records, during an argument on April 19, 2020, Kee threw the victim, identified in court records as Jane Doe 1, onto a bed and prevented her from getting up. Kee retrieved a pocketknife and stabbed Jane Doe 1 several times. Kee also punched and kicked Jane Doe 1. When he saw how badly Jane Doe 1 was bleeding from a stab wound to her abdomen, Kee poured sugar in her wound and applied pressure. When Jane Doe 1 cried out in pain, Kee slapped her. Later, Jane Doe 1 fled from the home and flagged down a motorist to take her to Northern Navajo Medical Center for treatment.
The assault occurred on the Navajo Nation, and Jane Doe 1 is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. Kee faces up to 10 years in prison. Kee will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph M. Spindle and Kyle Nayback are prosecuting the case.
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Taos man sentenced to two years in prison for 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 Elliott Romancito was sentenced to two years in prison. Romancito, 28, of Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Taos Pueblo, pleaded guilty on Nov. 3, 2021, to sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, in the early morning hours of Oct. 1, 2018, Romancito and the victim, identified as Jane Doe, left a party together. Rather than driving Jane Doe home, Romancito drove her to another location on the Taos Pueblo and had sex with her. Jane Doe, an enrolled member of the Taos Pueblo, was 15 years old at the time of the abuse.
Upon his release from prison, Romancito will be subject to five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Elisa Dimas and David Cowen 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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Crownpoint 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, announced today that Wade Dixon, 33, of Crownpoint, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country. Dixon will remain in custody pending sentencing.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on July 10, 2021, Dixon engaged in a sexual act with the victim, identified as Jane Doe, who was 13 years old. The abuse occurred in McKinley County, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation.
By the terms of the plea agreement, Wade faces 13 months in prison and will be required to register as a sex offender.
The Navajo Nation Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the FBI. Special Assistant United States Attorney Chelsea N. Van Deventer 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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