U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico
Recent News About U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico
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Zachary Babitz has pleaded guilty to multiple violent crimes across New Mexico—including armed robberies and fatal shooting—in incidents spanning three counties during summer 2024. Authorities announced that both sides have agreed upon life imprisonment as part of his plea deal.
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An Egyptian national has been sentenced to prison for illegally possessing a firearm after threatening someone at a Las Cruces gas station last year. Authorities say surveillance footage showed him as the aggressor during the incident; upon release he faces deportation.
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Kendall Benally from Morgan Lake has pleaded guilty after injuring a Navajo Nation Police officer during an attempted escape last year. Authorities say he now faces up to ten years in prison for assault with intent to commit a felony.
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Federal authorities have charged an Albuquerque man with drug trafficking and firearms offenses following allegations he helped plot an inmate's escape from custody using hidden weapons near a hospital site. Law enforcement says multiple agencies collaborated during searches leading up to his arrest.
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Tony Tsosie has pleaded guilty to stabbing a woman outside Bashas’ Diné Market in Shiprock following an argument last year. He faces two years imprisonment after admitting guilt for causing serious bodily injury.
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Joseph Anthony Martinez from Belen was sentenced on Apr. 15 for committing unemployment insurance fraud using stolen identities during the pandemic period. He received over three years in prison after pleading guilty and must pay restitution.
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Joseph Cata from Española has been charged with assault by strangulation after an alleged violent incident inside a residence earlier this month. Authorities say the victim suffered significant facial injuries before a witness intervened. The case remains under investigation as Cata awaits trial.
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Warren Chewiwi of Bosque Farms has pleaded guilty in federal court for illegally possessing a shotgun due to previous felony and domestic violence convictions. He faces up to 15 years in prison and must surrender his weapon and ammunition.
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A Quemado man has pleaded guilty after authorities found multiple illegal firearms on his property during an investigation into local burglaries. Chad Walter Gash faces up to fifteen years in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms.
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Myles Cordelle Dan Padilla from Farmington has pleaded guilty to federal firearms charges after an armed carjacking in April 2022. He faces up to 15 years in prison as sentencing approaches.
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Alexander John Duran from Pojoaque was sentenced to 14 years for sexually abusing a minor under age twelve. Authorities say he must also serve supervised release after prison and register as a sex offender.
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Tenille Quintawna Peshlakai received five years probation for causing a motorcyclist's crash after an argument in Farmington. Federal authorities detailed how she blocked his path with her vehicle before fleeing.
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The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico released its latest weekly report on immigration-related prosecutions as part of ongoing efforts at border security. Over one week ending April 10, more than two hundred individuals faced federal charges including illegal reentry after deportation and alien smuggling.
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Justin Aguino, a former Ohkay Owingeh police officer, has pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice after sharing sensitive details from a federal investigation. He faces up to fifteen months in prison following his arrest and subsequent legal proceedings.
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Brian Begay from Shiprock pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor over several years. Authorities say he faces up to life in prison after admitting guilt for offenses that occurred between 2015 and 2019.
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A Phoenix man received a nine-year prison sentence for sexually abusing a minor under age twelve. Authorities say he must also serve ten years supervised release after prison and register as a sex offender.
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office for New Mexico released its weekly report on immigration-related prosecutions as part of Operation Take Back America. Charges include illegal reentry after deportation and violations tied to a new National Defense Area.
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Jose Ramirez received life plus sixty months in prison following conviction for orchestrating a violent kidnapping-for-ransom scheme targeting his former employer near Albuquerque in 2018. Authorities say Ramirez evaded capture for nearly seven years before being apprehended in California.
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Federal officials have charged Barton Rico Cooeyate, a member of Zuni Pueblo, with kidnapping following allegations that he lured and assaulted a woman after offering her a ride home near Zuni, New Mexico. Authorities say he remains detained pending trial.
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James Smiley Jr., from Two Grey Hills and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for assaulting multiple individuals with a firearm inside tribal land. The sentencing underscores strict federal penalties for violent crimes involving firearms.