District of New Mexico
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the one-week period ending February 27, 2026, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 72 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 10 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 61 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
- 80 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for fleeing the scene of an accident-causing death or serious impairment, alien in possession of a firearm, and prior immigration offenses.
Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border security. During this time period, Jose Cuyuch De Pazwas encountered by United States Border Patrol agents near 505 McNutt Road in Sunland Park, New Mexico, after illegally entering the United States on foot. When agents attempted to detain him, De Paz fled into a residential area, climbed fences, and was pursued through backyards by a uniformed agent who followed his footprints. During the apprehension, the fence gave way and both men fell forward, at which point De Paz kicked the agent multiple times in the chest as the agent tried to gain control. A second agent arrived to assist, and the agents subdued, handcuffed, and arrested De Paz. De Paz is charged with illegal reentry and assault on a federal officer, though he later claimed he did not strike or kick the agent.
So far, in Fiscal Year 2026, 18 El Paso Sector Border Patrol Agents have been assaulted, following 88 assaults in Fiscal Year 2025. U.S. Border Patrol is collaborating closely with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office to ensure that those who assault federal officers are brought to justice. This interagency cooperation is crucial in protecting the men and women who serve on the frontlines of our nation's border security efforts and in deterring future attacks on law enforcement personnel.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
Zuni man pleads guilty to triple homicideRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man has pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with the deaths of three individuals on July 4, 2025.
According to court documents, on July 4, 2025, Willis Kylestewa, 42, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, drove while intoxicated with four passengers in a vehicle without working headlights. When law enforcement attempted a traffic stop, Kylestewa fled, speeding and swerving through traffic before losing control of the vehicle, which flipped and crashed. Kylestewa and three passengers were ejected from the vehicle and two died at the scene. A third passenger died inside the vehicle. At the hospital, Kylestewa’s blood alcohol level was .317, and THC was also detected in his system.
Kylestewa pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree murder. At sentencing, Kylestewa faces any number of years up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department and Zuni Open Space. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas J. Marshall and Amy Mondragon are prosecuting the case.
Federal charges filed in Eddy County deputy shootingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Carlsbad man is facing federal charges after allegedly firing a rifle at an Eddy County Sheriff’s Office deputy responding to a call.
According to court records, on October 19, 2025, an Eddy County Sheriff’s Office deputy was dispatched to the area of McKittrick and Hidalgo Road in Carlsbad, New Mexico, after a witness reported that Dustin Alan Henley, 35, was standing outside a truck holding a firearm. As the deputy arrived in a clearly marked patrol vehicle, Henley fired a rifle at the deputy, striking the vehicle in the engine compartment. The deputy returned fire, striking Henley multiple times. Henley dropped the rifle and fled on foot before being taken into custody.
At the time of the offense, Henley was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to prior felony convictions.
Henley is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and he will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the current charge, Henley faces up to 15 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Roswell Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant Gardner is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Henley).pdfA criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dulce man charged after violent assaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Dulce was man indicted on federal charges alleging he seriously injured another individual during an assault.
According to court records, on October 27, 2025, Russell Alan Veneno, 50, an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, assaulted John Doe with a table and a knife, and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury.
Veneno is federally charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. If convicted, Veneno faces up to 10 years in prison.
First Assisting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment (Veneno).pdfAn indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Crownpoint man sentenced for fatal DUI crashRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Crownpoint man was sentenced to 40 months in prison for a fatal crash involving alcohol and prescription opioids.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on July 3, 2024, Joey Martin, 56, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was driving on State Highway 371 in Crownpoint, New Mexico, with a passenger when he swerved to avoid a semitruck and lost control. His passenger was killed in the resulting crash. After the crash, Martin admitted to taking opioid pain medication an hour or two prior.
Martin pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Upon his release from prison, he will be subject to three years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Pahl is prosecuting the case.
Gallup man arrested for assault causing serious injuriesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Gallup man is facing federal charges after allegedly attacking an adult victim inside a vehicle, causing serious facial injuries.
According to court documents, on December 31, 2025, Dennison Billy, Jr., 35, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly assaulted an adult victim while the victim was driving and Billy was in the passenger seat of a vehicle. Responding officers found Billy highly intoxicated in the passenger seat and the victim nearby with visible blood and multiple injuries, including facial trauma, bruising, and a swollen finger. The victim reported exiting the vehicle to avoid further assault. Blood and hair were observed inside the vehicle. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The victim later reported Billy had been drinking and became argumentative before striking the victim multiple times, causing a possible loss of consciousness. As a result of the assault, the victim sustained serious injuries, including a fractured orbital wall and fractured nasal bones. Billy told law enforcement he had consumed a large amount of alcohol, claimed he blacked out, and said he did not remember the incident.
Billy is charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Billy faces 10 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case.
An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Arizona man pleads guilty to assault and firearms offensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man has pleaded guilty to federal charges for assaulting a woman with a rifle after she tried to intervene in a suspected domestic violence incident.
According to court documents, on August 24, 2024, Jane Doe 2 saw Curley Nakai Jr., 25, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, engage in what she believed was a domestic violence incident involving Jane Doe 1. Concerned, she followed the pickup truck in which Nakai was a passenger to the Basha’s grocery store parking lot.
At the parking lot, Nakai exited the truck carrying a rifle, made threatening gestures toward Jane Doe 2, including pointing the rifle at her, and told her to leave. Jane Doe 2 drove some distance away but remained in the parking lot. During the incident, Jane Doe 1 exited the vehicle and walked away.
Nakai pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. At sentencing, Nakai faces not less than five years and up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the one-week period ending February 20, 2026, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 67 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 9 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 59 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
- 48 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for drug trafficking, healthcare fraud, money laundering, human smuggling, burglary, and immigration offenses.
In one significant case, on February 13, 2026, Border Patrol agents at the Las Cruces checkpoint on I-25 stopped a tractor trailer driven by Adriana Alejandra Coss, who appeared nervous and claimed she was hauling an empty, locked trailer without a key. A canine alerted to the trailer during secondary inspection, and agents cut the lock, discovering nineteen undocumented individuals trapped inside with no way to exit. Agents also found a cooler bag in the cab containing cell phones belonging to those inside and later recovered a key in Coss’s former detention cell that opened the trailer lock. Witnesses stated they had paid smugglers, were held in stash houses, and were loaded into the trailer by multiple transporters before traveling nonstop to the checkpoint in cold conditions. The truck’s owner said Coss did not have permission to operate the vehicle and that there was no legitimate reason for the trip.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
Las Cruces woman pleads guilty to methamphetamine traffickingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces woman has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges after more than 40 grams of methamphetamine was recovered during a traffic stop.
According to court documents, investigators with the FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force and the Las Cruces/Dona Ana Metro Narcotics unit conducted a joint investigation into Ivory Hernandez, 43, for trafficking, drugs, stolen vehicles and firearms. On May 7, 2025, investigators attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Hernandez’s vehicle between Anthony and Las Cruces, New Mexico. Hernandez initially slowed down and pulled off the road but failed to fully stop before eventually complying with officers’ commands. During the stop, a canine trained to detect methamphetamine alerted to the presence of drugs inside the vehicle. A subsequent search revealed approximately 40.5 net grams of pure methamphetamine and a soft case containing drug packaging and weighing materials. Hernandez admitted she was transporting the drugs within the United States and intended to transfer them to another person.
Hernandez pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. At sentencing, Hernandez faces not less than five years and up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement on behalf of the Homeland Security Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Aragon Martinez is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region II CORE 7 is comprised of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Customs and Border Protection – Office of Field Operations (OFO), U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) and Air and Marine (AMO), Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), United States Department of the Interior – Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Joint Task Force North (JTF-N), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshal Service (USMS), Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Texas Department of Public Safety (TXDPS), El Paso Police Department (EPPD), New Mexico State Police (NMSP), West Texas / New Mexico High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA), Albuquerque Police Department, New Mexico Sixth Judicial District, Las Cruces/Dona Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Districts of Western Texas and New Mexico.
View the Plea Agreement (Hernandez).pdfZuni man sentenced for sexual abuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man was sentenced to ten years in prison for sexual abuse.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on August 19, 2023, Stanton Hannaweeke, 63, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, engaged in a nonconsensual sexual act with Jane Doe.
Hannaweeke pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse. Upon his release from prison, Hannaweeke will be subject to ten years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Burkhead is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, 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 Justice.gov/PSC.
Shiprock man sentenced to prison for assaulting two men with a knifeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for stabbing two victims after a day of heavy drinking.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on Sunday, October 9, 2022, Harley Etcitty, now 21, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, stabbed two men after a day of heavy drinking. He stabbed one man in the back and chest and the other man, who was sleeping on a couch, in the head.
Etcitty pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. Upon his release from prison, Etcitty will be subject to two years of supervised release. While in prison, Etcitty will have the opportunity to undergo the Bureau of Prisons’ Residential Drug Abuse Treatment Program, an intensive cognitive-behavioral therapy program specifically designed to combat substance abuse.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
Shiprock man pleads guilty to second-degree murderRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for fatally stabbing a man during an assault on the Navajo Nation.
According to court documents, on July 25, 2024, officers with the Navajo Nation Police Department responded to a fight in progress near a defunct business in Shiprock, New Mexico. Upon arrival, they found John Doe lying on the ground with wounds to his face and chest. Witnesses reported that Edison Brady, 56, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, punched and kicked Doe before walking away to retrieve a knife from his nearby bag. Brady then returned to the scene and stabbed Doe multiple times. Despite life-saving measures, Doe was pronounced dead at Northern Navajo Medical Center. Officers found a knife with apparent blood stains in Brady’s possession.
Brady pleaded guilty to second-degree murder without a plea agreement. At sentencing, Brady faces up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Jena Ritchey and Zachary C. Jones are prosecuting this case.
Two Mexican nationals removed to U.S. to face federal drug trafficking charges in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two Mexican nationals were removed to the United States to face federal drug trafficking charges in New Mexico.
Daniel Alfred Blanco-Joo, 39, made his initial appearance today in New Mexico after being removed from Mexico on a five-count indictment charging him with conspiracy, distribution of fentanyl, distribution of an analogue of fentanyl, and international money laundering conspiracy.
David Eliezer Seas-Centeno, 43, made his initial appearance today in New Mexico after being removed from Mexico on a charge of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
Federal agents assumed custody of Blanco-Joo and Seas-Centeno from Mexican authorities on January 21, 2026. If convicted, both face no less than 10 years and up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement on behalf of the Homeland Security Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David B. Hirsch and Blake Nichols are prosecuting these cases.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region II CORE 7 is comprised of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Customs and Border Protection – Office of Field Operations (OFO), U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) and Air and Marine (AMO), Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), United States Department of the Interior – Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Joint Task Force North (JTF-N), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshal Service (USMS), Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Texas Department of Public Safety (TXDPS), El Paso Police Department (EPPD), New Mexico State Police (NMSP), West Texas / New Mexico High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA), Albuquerque Police Department, New Mexico Sixth Judicial District, Las Cruces/Dona Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Districts of Western Texas and New Mexico.
View the Indictment (Seas-Centeno).pdf View the Indictment (Blanco-Joo).pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Window Rock man charged with assaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Window Rock man is facing federal charges after allegedly stabbing another man.
According to court records, on June 17, 2025, Jacoby Edo Begay, 20, an enrolled member of Navajo Nation, assaulted John Doe with a knife and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury to Doe.
Begay is federally charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. If convicted, Begay faces up to 10 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment (Begay).pdfAn indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Shiprock man pleads guilty to federal firearms charge in shootingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty to federal firearms offense after pointing a handgun at occupants of a vehicle and opening fire as they attempted to flee.
According to court documents, on August 1, 2025, Bryson Chee, 43, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, arrived at a residence in Shiprock as a passenger in a vehicle with two others. After exiting the vehicle, Chee retrieved a handgun, pointed it at the occupants, and began shooting as they attempted to drive away.
Chee pleaded guilty to using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. At sentencing Chee faces not less than seven in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack E. Burkhead is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the one-week period ending February 13, 2026, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 66 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 4 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 55 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
- 33 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for drug trafficking.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
Fruitland man sentenced for assaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Fruitland man was sentenced to 15 months in prison for an assault that left the victim with severe injuries.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on May 6, 2025, Kyle Kee, 34, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, intentionally struck the victim with his fists. As a result, the victim suffered an orbital floor fracture, nasal bone fractures, and facial disfigurement.
Kee pleaded guilty to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Upon his release from prison, Kee will be subject to three years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jordan is prosecuting the case.
Las Cruces man charged in federal drug trafficking and firearms caseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces man has been federally charged following an FBI led drug trafficking investigation that resulted in the seizure of cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and multiple firearms.
According to court documents, beginning in late 2025, the FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force and the Las Cruces/Dona Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency began investigating David De La Paz, 59, and other members of a drug trafficking organization involved in narcotics distribution, illegal firearm possession, and related criminal activity in Las Cruces. On February 3, 2026, investigators obtained a federal search warrant for De La Paz’s residence in Las Cruces. The warrant was executed on February 5, 2026, with assistance from the FBI Albuquerque SWAT team. During the initial entry, De La Paz was observed standing in his bedroom next to a loaded AR-15 style rifle on the bed.
During the search, agents recovered multiple loaded firearms, most of which were located in De La Paz’s bedroom. Agents also recovered drug paraphernalia and suspected fentanyl, methamphetamine, and 30 grams cocaine, all of which field tested presumptively positive.
Firearms and drugs seized from De La Paz's home.De La Paz is charged with possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He will remain detained pending a detention hearing, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, De La Paz faces 25 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today on behalf of the Homeland Security Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Aragon Martinez is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region II CORE 7 is comprised of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Customs and Border Protection – Office of Field Operations (OFO), U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) and Air and Marine (AMO), Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), United States Department of the Interior – Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Joint Task Force North (JTF-N), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshal Service (USMS), Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Texas Department of Public Safety (TXDPS), El Paso Police Department (EPPD), New Mexico State Police (NMSP), West Texas / New Mexico High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA), Albuquerque Police Department, New Mexico Sixth Judicial District, Las Cruces/Dona Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Districts of Western Texas and New Mexico.
View the Criminal complaint (de la Paz).pdfAn indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the two-week period ending February 6, 2026, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 124 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 13 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 122 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
- 58 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for domestic violence, drug trafficking, aggravated assault, and prior immigration offenses.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
Las Cruces man charged with possessing unregistered destructive deviceRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces man appeared in federal court after allegedly using Molotov cocktails to ignite multiple fires at an apartment complex.
According to court documents, on January 12, 2026, Las Cruces Fire Department responded to a reported fire at the Villa Del Telshor Apartments in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Fire investigators determined the fire originated in a second-floor apartment and was intentionally set using an improvised incendiary device, commonly known as a Molotov cocktail. Surveillance footage from a neighbor’s Ring camera captured Richard Sepulveda, 47, who resided on the first floor of the complex, carrying two bottles upstairs moments before a bright flash is seen coming from upstairs. Sepulveda is then seen returning down the stairs holding one lit Molotov cocktail. He then appeared to inadvertently start a second smaller fire on the first floor, which he extinguished.
On January 13, 2026, ATF agents reviewed the footage, confirmed Sepulveda’s identity through lease records and driver’s license photographs, and verified he was not registered to possess or manufacture such a destructive device. On January 15, 2026, agents executed a search warrant at Sepulveda’s apartment and recovered shoes with apparent burn marks matching those seen in the video, multiple lighters, and Miller High Life bottle caps consistent with the incendiary devices used.
Sepulveda is charged with possession of a firearm, specifically a destructive device (Molotov cocktail), that was not registered to him in the National Firearms Act. He will remain detained pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Sepulveda faces ten years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Shawn Stallo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant Gardner is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Sepulveda).pdfAn indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Convicted drug trafficker pleads guilty mid-trial to methamphetamine traffickingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – After one day of trial testimony, an Albuquerque woman pleaded guilty to methamphetamine trafficking.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on May 18, 2023, the FBI Violent Gang Task Force executed a search warrant at the northeast Albuquerque residence of Nora Baca, 67. During the search, agents located approximately three pounds of methamphetamine in the bedroom of Baca’s housemate and codefendant.
On September 10, 2024, following an investigation into a significant intergang drug trafficking conspiracy involving both incarcerated and non-incarcerated gang members linked to the Cibola County Correctional Center in Milan, New Mexico, Baca was charged in a superseding indictment with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Subsequently, on October 30, 2024, the FBI Violent Gangs Task Force and the U.S. Marshals Service conducted a coordinated operation executing search warrants at 13 locations across New Mexico, including the home of Baca. Despite being tipped off that agents were coming, more methamphetamine and a firearm were found in Baca’s home.
During the trial, the government presented evidence that Baca was a known large-scale methamphetamine dealer who had supplied others with drugs. This is Baca’s second federal conviction for drug trafficking. She was previously sentenced to 120 months in prison in 2012, which was later reduced to 92 months pursuant to the retroactive application of new federal sentencing guidelines for drug offenses, followed by four years of supervised release.
Baca pled guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Following her plea, the Court ordered Baca held in custody until sentencing. At sentencing, Baca faces five years in federal prison pursuant to the plea agreement, as well as supervised release and other penalties.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, and David Barnett, U.S. Marshal for the District of New Mexico, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Division Violent Gang Task Force (VGTF) and United States Marshals Service jointly investigated this case with assistance from the CoreCivic Intelligence Unit and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul Mysliwiec and David Hirsch are prosecuting these cases.
Arizona man sentenced for sexual abuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for engaging in sexual acts with a minor victim using threats and intimidation.
There is no parole in the federal system.
In August of 2021, Fernando Yatsatie, Jr., 48, a member of the Zuni Pueblo, unlawfully engaged in a sexual act with a minor victim using threats and intimidation.
Yatsatie pleaded guilty to sexual abuse. Upon his release from prison, Yatsatie will be subject to fifteen years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
Two Mescalero men charged in assaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two Mescalero men are facing federal charges in connection with a unprovoked assault.
According to court documents, on September 11, 2025, John Doe was at a residence within the exterior boundaries of the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation when he was allegedly assaulted without provocation by Harlyn Cody Geronimo, 49, and Raymond Shaun Chee, 28, both enrolled members of the Mescalero Apache Tribe. Geronimo and Chee allegedly struck John Doe and repeatedly kicked him while he was on the ground, causing him to lose consciousness. As a result of the attack, John Doe sustained multiple injuries, including serious head injuries that required medical treatment.
Witnesses reported that Geronimo, who was wearing steel toed boots, kicked John Doe in the head and that Chee also participated in the assault. After the incident, Chee fled the scene.
Following his arrest, Geronimo’s steel-toed boots were recovered and found to contain dried blood. Geronimo later denied assaulting John Doe, despite witness statements to the contrary.
Geromino and Chee are charged with assault causing serious bodily injury. If convicted of the current charges, Geromino and Chee face ten years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Silvia Delgado is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Shiprock man pleads guilty to assault with a dangerous weaponRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty in federal court to a violent assault in which he stabbed a victim three times in the back without provocation.
According to court documents, on April 19, 2025, Matthew David Charley, 30, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, stabbed John Doe three times in the back without provocation, causing serious injury.
Charley pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. At sentencing Charley faces up to 10 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.
Mescalero man charged with assaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man appeared in federal court after allegedly assaulting and strangling a victim.
According to court documents, on October 23, 2025, Lance Marion Cojo, 39, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, assaulted and strangled Jane Doe.
Cojo is charged with assault by strangling and/or suffocating and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing, which is scheduled for February 9, 2026. If convicted of the current charges, Cojo faces ten years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Dickens is prosecuting the case.
An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two men sentenced for kidnapping and human smuggling schemeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two Guatemalan nationals were sentenced to prison for orchestrating a ransom scheme in which they held 11 undocumented immigrants captive residence and extorted their families under threats of violence and cartel retaliation.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, the FBI received a kidnapping complaint on March 1, 2025, alleging that the family of an undocumented immigrant was being extorted for ransom under threats of violence and cartel involvement. Agents traced the ransom calls to a residence in southwest Albuquerque and executed a search warrant.
Inside the home, agents discovered 11 undocumented immigrants from Guatemala, including one unaccompanied minor. They also recovered more than 20 cell phones and a ledger documenting smuggling activity. Two Guatemalan nationals, Isaias David Jose and Tomas Mateo Gaspar, were identified as the captors. Victims reported that Jose and Gaspar locked them in rooms, confiscated their shoes and phones, and threatened them with violence.
Jose and Gaspar subsequently pled guilty to conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal aliens. Jose was sentenced to 22 months in prison, and Gaspar was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Upon their release from custody, both will be subject to deportation.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mysliwiec is prosecuting the case as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Farmington man charged for fentanyl distribution and firearms offensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Farmington man is facing federal charges for suspected federal drug trafficking and firearms violations stemming from a traffic stop.
According to court documents, on January 26, 2026, Stevie Anthony Lovato, 39, was stopped while driving on U.S. Highway 550 with two other individuals in the vehicle and arrested on an active felony warrant. During the arrest, officers recovered a 9mm hollow point round, approximately 1.34 grams of methamphetamine, and two cellphones from his person. A subsequent search of the vehicle, conducted pursuant to a warrant, resulted in the seizure of approximately 18 grams of fentanyl powder, more than 400 fentanyl pills, and a loaded firearm.
As a previously convicted felon, Lovato is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Lovato is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Lovato faces a minimum of ten years and up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Region II Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Lovato).pdfAn indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District of New Mexico charges over 7,000 cases in one year of Southern Border enforcementRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – In coordination with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico brought 7,099 criminal cases in 2025 related to illegal reentry, alien smuggling, immigration fraud, and false statements stemming from southern border enforcement, including 152 cases involving drug trafficking.
Separately, the office prosecuted 32 alien in possession of a firearm cases, advancing national security objectives by enforcing federal prohibitions on firearm possession by individuals without lawful status.
Beyond criminal enforcement, the office also managed a significant civil and constitutional workload in 2025, including 82 civil habeas corpus matters.
“These cases show how criminal organizations exploit people for profit, move violence across borders, and poison communities with drugs and weapons,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. “In New Mexico, we are focused on identifying the leaders, dismantling the networks they rely on, and using federal prosecutions to disrupt these operations at every level.”
These cases reflect the District of New Mexico’s focus on dismantling criminal networks that exploit vulnerable individuals, fuel violence, and move drugs, weapons, and people across borders and into communities:
United States v. Diana Perez, et al. - On April 4, 2024, Otero County Sheriff’s Officers responded to a reported hostage situation and discovered multiple individuals, including children, being held against their will inside a stash house. The victims had been smuggled into the United States illegally, provided approximately one meal per day, and were threatened with violence if they attempted to leave. Organizers Diana Perez and Valerie Perez required additional payments from victims’ families before releasing them. Alan Amaya operated the stash house. Valerie Perez was sentenced to ten years in federal prison on May 29, 2025. Amaya has pleaded guilty.
United States v. Alejandro Villalobos-Torres - In October 2022, investigators learned that a victim had been smuggled into the United States and was being held for ransom, with demands for an additional $8,000. The victim was moved between stash houses in Texas and New Mexico before being rescued in Chaparral, New Mexico, on November 3, 2022. Alejandro Villalobos-Torres was identified as the leader of the smuggling operation and arrested on March 11, 2025. The case remains pending.
United States v. Jorge Alberto De La Cruz-Dominguez, et al. - This case involved a large-scale human smuggling operation spanning Santa Teresa, El Paso, and Albuquerque. Defendants transported an estimated 20 to 40 individuals per week, including unaccompanied minors. Smuggled individuals were routed through stash houses and transferred between drivers across state lines. Seven defendants were arrested in February 2025. All have pleaded guilty apart from one defendant who has noticed intent to plead guilty.
United States v. Nan Zhang, et al. -In Albuquerque, Nan Zhang and her husband, Sanjay Khurana, were charged this year with conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. The couple allegedly coordinated with alien smuggling organizations to use their rental properties as stash houses for illegal aliens. The couple is also accused of laundering money on behalf of the alien smuggling organizations through real estate sales.
In addition to the spotlighted smuggling cases above, the District of New Mexico has prosecuted other significant border related matters, including:
United States v. Henderson Yofre Mavo Finol, et al. - Eleven suspected members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang were indicted on racketeering charges related to kidnapping, torture, murder, drug trafficking, firearms offenses, and fraudulent documents.
United States v. Heriberto Salazar-Amaya - Federal authorities dismantled one of the largest fentanyl trafficking organizations in U.S. history, seizing approximately 400 kilograms of fentanyl, firearms, currency, and vehicles across multiple states.
United States v. Joel and Nancy Cano - A former magistrate judge and his wife were charged with evidence tampering related to suspected gang members and illegal firearms access.
These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
Albuquerque man faces federal charges for possession and distribution of child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man is facing federal charges for knowingly possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material, including images and videos of prepubescent children.
According to court records, in August 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Albuquerque began investigating Julian Alcantar Rodriguez, 35, who was linked to multiple reports of online child sexual exploitation spanning from October 2021 to July 2025. The activity involved numerous social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Google, and investigators identified Alcantar as the individual behind the accounts.
On January 22, 2026, HSI executed a search warrant at Alcantar’s Southwest Albuquerque residence and recovered Alcantar’s cellphone, which contained numerous images and videos of child sexual abuse material.
Alcantar is charged with distribution and possession of child pornography. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Alcantar faces five to 20 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Ryan G. McRae, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, made the announcement today.
Homeland Security Investigations - Albuquerque investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico Department of Justice and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, 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 Justice.gov/PSC.
View the Criminal Complaint (Rodriguez).pdfA complaint or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Zuni Man Sentenced for Stabbing Unarmed VictimRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man has been sentenced to 37 months in prison after pleading guilty to stabbing an unarmed victim with a sharp metal object, causing severe internal injuries that required life-saving medical treatment.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on June 16, 2025, Adrian Cheama, 37, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, stabbed an unarmed man in the abdomen with a sharp metal object without apparent provocation, then disposed of the weapon, preventing law enforcement from recovering it. The victim was airlifted to a hospital, where he received life-saving treatment for the stab wound and resulting severe internal injuries. At the time of his arrest, Cheama denied responsibility for the stabbing.
Cheama subsequently pled guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. He was ordered to pay $36,567 in restitution. Upon his release from prison, Cheama will be subject to two years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case.
Shiprock Man Charged Federally After Shooting into ResidenceRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man is facing federal charges in connection with a shooting that sent multiple rounds into an occupied residence.
According to court documents, on January 21, 2026, Navajo Police Department dispatch received a call from a reporting party who stated that Taylon Keeswood, 20, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was shooting at a house in Shiprock, New Mexico. Responding officers located and detained Keeswood near the house shortly after the call. Investigators responded to the shooting scene, where they recovered shell casings and confirmed that a residence occupied by an adult and three children had been struck numerous times by gunfire. No one inside the home was injured.
Keeswood later admitted to investigators that he fired an AK-style rifle from his hip, emptying a 30-round magazine at the residence, which he believed was the home of an individual with whom he had prior disputes, before fleeing the area and hiding the firearm. Law enforcement later recovered the firearm at the location Keeswood identified after hiding it while evading police.
Keeswood is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Keeswood faces a minimum of ten years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Keeswood).pdfAn indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Las Cruces Woman Charged with Assaulting a Deputy U.S. MarshalRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces woman has been charged by criminal complaint with assaulting a Deputy United States Marshal during an attempted arrest.
According to court documents, on November 6, 2025, the U.S. Marshals Service Southwest Investigative Fugitive Team was attempting to execute a federal arrest warrant at a residence in Las Cruces, New Mexico. When law enforcement prepared to enter the home, the owner, Joann Rickman, 55, became combative.
A Deputy U.S. Marshal restrained Rickman and placed her in handcuffs. She continued resisting, kicking, spitting, and attempting to bite the officer. Once the situation was under control and the investigation at the scene concluded, Rickman was returned to a standing position and her handcuffs were removed. Emergency Medical Services offered medical attention, which she declined.
Later that afternoon, the U.S. Marshal sought medical attention for a thumb sprain and potential exposure to communicable disease.
Rickman is charged with assault of an officer of the United States resulting in physical contact. If convicted of the current charges, Rickman faces eight years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, Las Cruces Police Department and New Mexico Air National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan H. Gennari and Mark Saltman are prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Rickman).pdfAn indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
California Man Sentenced for Half Million Dollar Charles Loloma Jewelry Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – After posing for years as a source of rare Native American art, a California man was sentenced to 37 months in prison and ordered to pay $134,443.60 in restitution for running a counterfeit jewelry operation that exploited the reputation of famed Hopi artist Charles Loloma and siphoned roughly five hundred thousand dollars from collectors nationwide.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Robert Haack, 59, carried out a years long scheme to defraud collectors by selling counterfeit jewelry falsely represented as authentic works by renowned Hopi artist Charles Loloma.
The evidence established that between approximately 2008 and 2015, Haack manufactured dozens of fake Loloma jewelry pieces in his California home and sold them through eBay and direct sales. Haack marketed the items as genuine pieces made in Loloma’s workshop in Hotevilla, Arizona. Those representations were false. An investigation by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service later confirmed that the jewelry was not made by Loloma. In total, Haack sold the forged pieces to more than ten victims across the country for approximately five hundred thousand dollars.
In 2018, federal authorities began criminal proceedings after undercover United States Fish and Wildlife Service agents purchased two forged pieces from Haack. In 2019, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Haack with multiple fraud related offenses arising from his counterfeit jewelry scheme.
In 2021, Haack entered guilty pleas to three fraud counts pursuant to a plea agreement that contemplated a sentence of home confinement. As sentencing approached, Haack refused to provide required financial information to the United States Probation Office. As a result, the court rejected the plea agreement, and Haack later withdrew his guilty pleas.
After the case was set for trial, Haack delayed the proceedings by feigning a cognitive medical condition, which raised competency concerns and resulted in a significant continuance. Following a thirty-day inpatient forensic evaluation, the court determined that Haack had been malingering and was competent to proceed.
In June 2024, after a four-day trial in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a federal jury found Haack guilty of two counts of wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud and two counts of violating the Indian Arts and Crafts Act.
“When individuals falsely claim jewelry as authentic Native American art for personal gain, they distort the marketplace and exploit both artists and consumers,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. “I commend the professionals whose diligence brought this case to verdict and justice for those harmed. Upholding the integrity of our markets and holding accountable those who undermine public trust remains a priority for this office.”
"Robert Haack’s counterfeit operation victimized customers and directly harmed the economic and cultural livelihood of Native American artists," said Assistant Director Doug Ault, of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “Protecting American Indian and Alaska Native culture and traditions is a critical part of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act. Our dedicated team of special agents, working in partnership with the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, diligently safeguards both American Indian and Alaska Native artists, as well as the consumers who seek genuine Native American art and crafts. This sentencing underscores the importance of these protections, and we thank our partners at the Department of Justice and the Indian Arts and Crafts Board for their invaluable assistance in this investigation."
“The Indian Arts and Crafts Board of the U.S. Department of the Interior (IACB) administers and enforces the Indian Arts and Crafts Act (IACA), a truth-in-marketing law,” said the Board’s Director Meridith Stanton. “The IACA is intended to rid the Indian arts and crafts marketplace of fakes to protect the economic livelihoods and cultural heritage of Indian artists, craftspeople, and their Tribes, as well as the buying public. Authentic Indian art and craftwork is an important tool for passing down cultural traditions, traditional knowledge, and artistic skills from one generation to the next. The IACB commends the U.S. Attorney - District of New Mexico and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s IACA Investigative Unit for their outstanding work that led to today’s sentencing of Robert Haack for his manufacture and sale of counterfeit Charles Loloma (Hopi) jewelry. As the father of contemporary Indian jewelry, Charles Loloma not only broke many Indian art industry barriers with his masterful work, he also inspired his Indian artist contemporaries and generations that followed to excel, push boundaries, and elevate Indian jewelry to new levels as never before. Mr. Haack’s sales of counterfeit Indian art demean and rob authentic Indian artists who rely on the creation and sale of their artwork to put food on the table, make ends meet, and pass along these important cultural traditions and skills from one generation to the next. His actions undermine consumers’ confidence in the Indian art market in the Southwest and nationwide. Now Mr. Haack has been brought to justice, and his sentencing should send a strong message to IACA violators that we will diligently work to find you and prosecute you under the IACA.”
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Doug Ault, Southwest Region Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, made the announcement today.
The U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, Office of Law Enforcement investigated this case with assistance from the Indians Arts and Crafts Board. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case.
Third Defendant Charged in September 2025 School Zone ShootingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A third defendant has been federally charged in connection with a September 2025 school zone shooting investigation in Las Cruces.
According to court records, on September 6, 2025, Las Cruces Police Department officers responded to reports of gunfire at Young Park in Las Cruces, New Mexico. No injuries were reported, but officers recovered multiple spent shell casings from the parking lot. Shortly after the incident, officers encountered two individuals, John Anthony Orta and Steven Mendoza, walking near Hermosa Heights Elementary School while carrying firearms. Both were arrested for negligent use of a deadly weapon and later charged federally with possession of a firearm in a school zone.
Handgun located on John Anthony Orta on September 6th, 2025 AR-15 style pistol located on Steven Mendoza on September 6th, 2025During the investigation, law enforcement obtained search warrants for Orta and Mendoza’s cell phones and reviewed social media messages discussing the Young Park shooting. Those messages identified Luis Angel Ruiz, 22, as the person who fired the shots and claimed ownership of the firearm involved. Investigators linked Ruiz to the firearm through social media posts showing him in possession of the weapon, eyewitness statements, and ballistic evidence.
Instagram photo of Ruiz with what appears to be the same AR-15 style piston recovered from Mendoza on September 6, 2025
On September 24, 2025, Ruiz was stopped by Las Cruces police for traffic violations and arrested for driving under the influence. During that stop, officers recovered four firearms from the vehicle, including a handgun with an obliterated serial number. Ruiz admitted the firearms belonged to him. Investigators later identified social media messages in which Ruiz attempted to sell the firearm with the removed serial number.
Ruiz is charged with discharging a firearm in a school zone and possession of a firearm with a removed, obliterated or altered serial number. He will remain in custody pending a detention hearing, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Ruiz faces 10 years in prison.
On December 29, 2025, Orta pled guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm in a school zone. At sentencing he faces up to five years in prison.
Mendoza remains on conditions of release pending trial, which is not currently scheduled.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office's Southern New Mexico Safe Streets Gang Task Force investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces Police Department's Street Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Ruiz).pdfA complaint or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Shiprock Man Charged with AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man is facing federal charges after allegedly assaulting a man during a dispute.
According to court records, on September 18, 2025, Brian Adam Archuleta, 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly engaged in an argument with the victim that escalated into a physical assault. Archuleta struck the victim multiple times in the face, causing a right orbital wall fracture and requiring ten stitches.
Archuleta is charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury. He will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Archuleta faces 10 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Teleky is prosecuting the case.
view the Criminal Complaint (Archuleta).pdfA complaint or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Prewitt Woman Charged in AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Prewitt woman is facing federal charges after allegedly stabbing a man during a dispute.
According to court records, on January 6, 2026, Naomi Martinez, 24, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly assaulted John Doe with a knife during a dispute, causing serious bodily injury.
Martinez is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. She will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Martinez faces 20 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael R. Pahl is prosecuting the case.
A complaint or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Albuquerque Man Charged for Fatal Shooting of Pueblo of Isleta MemberRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man is in federal custody after the fatal shooting of a Pueblo of Isleta tribal member prompted a public search by the FBI.
According to court documents, on January 9, 2026, Pueblo of Isleta Police Department officers responded to a report of a shooting at a residence in Bosque Farms, New Mexico, within the exterior boundaries of the Pueblo of Isleta. Officers located the victim, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Isleta, suffering from gunshot wounds to the upper left chest. Despite life-saving efforts by officers and emergency medical services, the victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to witnesses, Bonifacio Silva, 18, a non-Indian, allegedly fired the fatal shots during a confrontation following an earlier verbal and physical altercation at the residence. Silva then fled the scene with his pregnant girlfriend. During a subsequent traffic stop, the pair reportedly provided false information to officers claiming the girlfriend was in labor, allowing them to be released. Silva was later dropped off in the Albuquerque area.
On January 12, 2026, the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office issued a wanted poster seeking information from the public as to Silva’s whereabouts. Silva was arrested in Albuquerque later that day.
Silva is charged with second degree murder and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Silva faces a minimum sentence of ten years and up to life in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Pueblo of Isleta Police Department, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Albuquerque Man Charged After FBI Finds Modified Hand Grenade in His HomeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man has been federally charged with unlawfully possessing an improvised explosive device following the discovery of a modified hand grenade in his home.
According to court documents, on December 31, 2025, the Albuquerque Police Department responded to a residence in northwest Albuquerque after the resident, Jeff Bramlett, 46, requested medical assistance. While assisting at the residence, officers observed what appeared to be hand grenades and requested assistance from the FBI’s Albuquerque Special Agent Bomb Technicians. Agents located two devices, one resembling a pineapple-shaped MK 2 fragmentation grenade and another similar to an M26 fragmentation grenade, in the living room. Both were fitted with functional military training fuzes.
On January 7, 2026, FBI and APD bomb technicians safely disassembled the devices and determined that one device was a functional grenade, containing granulated black powder that reacted positively to a flame test, confirming it was explosive material.
Bramlett is charged with possessing a firearm, namely a destructive device (grenade) that was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Bramlett faces up to 10 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Seth Teleky is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Bramlett).pdf View the Indictment (Bramlett).pdfAn indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the one-week period ending January 23, 2026, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 35 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 9 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 48 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
- 11 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for child sexual assault, DUI, alien smuggling, statutory rape, and prior immigration offenses.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
Shiprock Man Sentenced for Unlawfully Possessing a ShotgunRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man was sentenced to 78 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a loaded shotgun, which he obtained by stealing and attempting to sell it.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on August 10, 2022, Crandall Craig Martin, 42, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, stole a loaded firearm with the intention of trading it for alcohol or money to buy alcohol. As both a previously convicted felon and misdemeanant convicted of a crime of domestic violence, Martin was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Martin subsequently pleaded guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Upon his release from prison, Martin will be subject to three years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
Former Treasurer of New Mexico Abbey Indicted for $2 Million Fraud and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man has been indicted for allegedly stealing more than $2 million in funds from the Norbertine Community of New Mexico and Santa María de la Vid Abbey and filing a false federal tax return.
According to court records, from May 2022 to March 2023, James Joseph Owens, 68, a former member of the Norbertine Community of New Mexico (NCNM) and the treasurer for NCNM and Santa María de la Vid Abbey, allegedly abused his position of trust by transferring more than $2 million in abbey funds to accounts he controlled, including accounts associated with a nonprofit law practice he established, and used the funds for personal benefit, including deposits into investment accounts and the purchase of a residence in Placitas, New Mexico.
Prosecutors further allege Owens conducted domestic and international wire transfers, brokerage and cryptocurrency transactions, and other monetary transactions to conceal the origin of the funds and increase his profits from his crimes. Owens also allegedly failed to report the income derived from these transactions on his 2022 federal tax return and filed a false amended return that substantially understated his taxable income, thereby concealing the misappropriation from the Internal Revenue Service.
Owens is federally charged with eight counts of wire fraud, 23 counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from unlawful activity and one count of attempt to evade and defeat tax. If convicted, Owens faces up to 20 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jarom Gregory of IRS Criminal Investigation's Phoenix Field Office, made the announcement today.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictmnent (Owens).pdfAn indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Online Sextortion and Sexual Exploitation of Two MinorsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 19 and a half years in prison for coercing a 15-year-old girl into producing sexually explicit images over several years and for sexually exploiting a second victim who was 12 years old.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, between 2019 and 2022, Adrian Puentes, 26, engaged in an ongoing pattern of sextortion and sexual exploitation involving two minor victims. Beginning when Jane Doe 1 was in eighth grade, Puentes used multiple social media platforms, including Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok, to coerce her into producing and sending sexually explicit photos and videos of herself. Puentes repeatedly threatened to post the explicit material online for her social media followers to see if she did not comply, and when Jane Doe 1 blocked his accounts, he created new ones to continue the abuse. Over the course of three years, Puentes harassed, manipulated, and threatened Jane Doe 1, misrepresenting his age and identity and ultimately posting explicit material of her publicly online.
Puentes also exploited a second victim, Jane Doe 2, who was 12 years old. Using his cellphone, he communicated with Jane Doe 2 to request sexually explicit material, sent her money, and arranged to meet her on multiple occasions at a public park, where he engaged in sexual acts with her. As with Jane Doe 1, he misrepresented his age to further the abuse.
Puentes subsequently pled guilty to two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor. Upon his release from prison, Puentes will be subject to 15 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, 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 Justice.gov/PSC.
Unhoused Woman Faces Federal Charges in Albuquerque Warehouse ArsonRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An unhoused woman is facing federal charges in connection with the arson of a commercial storage warehouse in Albuquerque.
According to court records, on October 14, 2024, Samantha Lee, 41, allegedly set fire to a storage warehouse used by the Crowne Plaza Hotel and The Querque Hotel on Menaul Blvd NE in Albuquerque.
Lee is charged with one count of arson. She will remain in custody pending trial, which is currently scheduled for February 10, 2026. If convicted of the current charges, Lee faces no less than five and up to 20 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Shawn Stallo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Elena Stiteler is prosecuting the case.
If you have any information relating to this matter or other crimes committed by Lee, please contact the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives at 1-888-ATF-TIPS or [email protected].
View the Indictment (Lee).pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Pinehill Men Charged in Fatal AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Three men are charged by federal authorities in connection with an incident in which one person was killed and another was seriously injured.
According to court records, on January 5, 2026, brothers Sullivan Jake Jr., 25, Braxton Jake, 18, and Juanillo Lee Jake, 23, all enrolled members of the Ramah-Navajo Indian Tribe, allegedly assaulted John Doe 1 and John Doe 2 at a residence in Pinehill, New Mexico. John Doe 1 was pronounced deceased at the scene. John Doe 2 was transported to Gallup Indian Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries.
The defendants allegedly arrived together in a blue truck and assaulted John Doe 1 using wooden sticks, metal poles, rocks, and other blunt objects. When John Doe 2 attempted to intervene, the defendants allegedly assaulted him as well. John Doe 2 sustained a broken arm, severe head and facial injuries, partial loss of an ear, and bleeding in the brain.
The defendants are charged with second degree murder, assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. They will remain in third party custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, all three defendants face up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Ramah-Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Jake).pdfAn indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mentmore Man Sentenced for AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mentmore man was sentenced to 37 months in prison for assaulting and strangling the victim and causing substantial bodily injury
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on December 5, 2024, Alery Al Reid, 27, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, punched, strangled and threatened to kill Jane Doe.
Reid subsequently pled guilty to assault of an intimate partner by strangling and assault of an intimate partner resulting in substantial bodily injury. Upon his release from prison, Reid will be subject to three years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the one-week period ending January 16, 2026, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 60 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 6 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 58 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
- 18 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for sexual assault, drug trafficking, and prior immigration offenses.
In one significant case, Denis Houston Puente-Rios was charged this week with illegally re-entering the United States and assaulting a female border patrol agent who attempted to arrest him. While the agent was trying to handcuff Defendant, he wrestled with her until they fell to the ground where Defendant pinned her arms to the ground. The agent eventually broke free and struck Defendant with a rock. Defendant has criminal history for a domestic disturbance.
Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border security. During Fiscal Year 2025, 88 El Paso Sector Border Patrol Agents were assaulted, down from 103 assaults in Fiscal Year 2024. U.S. Border Patrol is collaborating closely with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office to ensure that those who assault federal officers are brought to justice. This interagency cooperation is crucial in protecting the men and women who serve on the frontlines of our nation's border security efforts and in deterring future attacks on law enforcement personnel.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
Taos Pueblo Man Sentenced for Killing Indigenous Artist DeAnna Autumn Leaf SuazoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Taos Pueblo man was sentenced in federal court to 10 years in federal prison for the November 2021 killing of his longtime girlfriend, DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo, a Taos Pueblo woman, during a domestic-violence incident.
DeAnna’s pictures, paintings, and her book, as displayed in Court.There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, in the early morning hours of November 13, 2021, Santiago Martinez, 33, killed Suazo during an argument outside their shared home on the Taos Pueblo. The couple had been listening to music when DeAnna again expressed her long-stated desire to end their romantic relationship, which she had often done before.
The argument escalated into a physical altercation during which Martinez ripped DeAnna’s gauge earring from her ear and pushed DeAnna out of her car. Rather than disengage, Martinez entered the driver’s seat of DeAnna’s SUV, put her car in gear, and intentionally ran DeAnna over. Martinez then called his family, rather than alerting police, which diminished any chance that DeAnna could have survived. DeAnna died from mechanical asphyxia and blunt trauma caused by being run over.
Martinez later acknowledged that although he had consumed alcohol, he knew what he was doing and knew it was wrong.
DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo was a Diné and Taos Pueblo artist whose work celebrated Indigenous identity, strength, and resilience. Her paintings were exhibited nationwide, including at the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts. In 2022, the Institute of American Indian Arts established the DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo Memorial Fund to support Indigenous women artists, honoring her life, talent, and lasting impact.
David Gery Suazo David Gery SuazoOn March 28, 2025, Martinez pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Upon his release from prison, Martinez will be subject to three years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
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 Attorneys Zachary C. Jones and Nora Wilson prosecuted the case.
Dulce Man Pleads Guilty to AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Dulce man pleaded guilty to charges stemming from an incident in which he discharged a handgun in a vehicle, striking the victim.
According to court documents, on July 21, 2025, Leandrew Cody Velarde, 22, an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, became intoxicated in a park. The victim and another individual offered to drive him home, and he got into their vehicle. During an argument in the car, Velarde handled a handgun he had with him, and the firearm discharged, striking the victim. The victim required airlift transport to a hospital but survived the injury.
After the shooting, Velarde fled the scene and discarded the gun, which was later recovered by law enforcement along with a spent shell casing. He was arrested nearby in possession of marijuana, alcohol, and a cell phone.
Velarde pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. At sentencing Velarde faces up to 10 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Nation Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Marshall is prosecuting the case.
Statement from First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan EllisonRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – On January 14, 2026, U.S. District Judge David Nuffer issued a ruling regarding the designation of leadership at the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico.
First Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Ellison issued the following statement:
“Yesterday, a federal district judge ruled that my designation as Acting United States Attorney was invalid. Importantly, the judge also ruled that I was validly designated as First Assistant United States Attorney and, in that capacity, could continue supervising the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico. The judge also declined to dismiss any of the challenged indictments or disqualify me from supervising those cases.
Since I was appointed last April, I’ve repeatedly used the phrase “for however long I serve” because the duration of my time leading the United States Attorney’s Office has always been uncertain. Even though my title has changed, my mission remains the same. As the top federal prosecutor in New Mexico, I will work tirelessly to enhance public safety for all New Mexicans. I look forward to continuing to work with public servants of all political stripes for the betterment of our state—for however long I serve.”
Taos Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Brutal 2019 Double HomicideRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Taos man was sentenced to life in prison for the June 2019 killings of two members of the Taos Pueblo.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Joshua Gonzales, 39, a non-Indian, murdered John Doe 1 and his father, John Doe 2, both enrolled members of the Taos Pueblo, inside John Doe 1’s residence.
The evidence established that Gonzales repeatedly bludgeoned both victims with a wooden table leg, causing catastrophic head injuries and multiple skull fractures. After killing the men, Gonzales dragged their bodies, stacked them on top of one another inside the residence, and concealed them beneath rolled wire fencing. The victims were not discovered until two days later, after family members reported them missing.
Surveillance video, forensic evidence, and cell phone records established a clear timeline of the murders and Gonzales’s actions afterward. Video footage showed John Doe 2 arriving at the residence shortly before the killings. Minutes later, surveillance captured John Doe 2’s pickup truck being driven erratically around the property before crashing into trees nearby, consistent with Gonzales’s attempted flight from the scene. The truck was later found abandoned.
Inside and around the residence, investigators documented extensive blood evidence, vehicle tracks, damaged fencing, and bone fragments. Cell phone records further established Gonzales’s involvement, showing that he possessed and used one of the victim’s phones the morning after the murders and began using a new phone shortly thereafter.
Witness testimony further tied Gonzales to the crimes. A family member testified that Gonzales was the last person seen with John Doe 1, possessed the spare key to the residence, attempted to fabricate an alibi, and later threatened her with death to prevent her from speaking to authorities. Additional witnesses testified to Gonzales providing key admissions about his role in the killings, describing in detail how he beat both victims and concealed their bodies with details closely matching the physical evidence.
Nearly six years after the murders, a federal jury in June 2025 convicted Gonzales of two counts of second-degree murder following an eight-day trial.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Indian Affairs, New Mexico State Police, Espanola Police Department, Taos Police Department, Taos County Sheriff’s Department, and the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark A. Probasco and Samuel A. Hurtado are prosecuting the case.