Ulibarri Prosecuted as Part of “Worst of the Worst" Anti-Violence Initiative
ALBUQUERQUE - Christopher Ulibarri, 29, of Farmington, N.M., made his initial appearance today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., on a criminal complaint charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Ulibarri remains in custody pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing, both of which are scheduled for tomorrow.
Ulibarri was arrested yesterday by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition in San Juan County, N.M., on Aug. 15, 2015. The criminal complaint alleges that on that day, officers of the Farmington Police Department responded to a restaurant in Farmington after receiving a report that Ulibarri carried a rifle into the restaurant. The officers located Ulibarri in the restaurant; he allegedly was holding a rifle, which he refused to drop despite repeated commands from the officers. The complaint alleges that an officer had to forcibly remove the rifle, which was loaded with four rounds of ammunition, from Ulibarri.
The criminal complaint states that Ulibarri was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition on Aug. 15, 2015, because of his status as a convicted felon. Ulibarri previously had been convicted of residential burglary, larceny and criminal damage to property in the 11th Judicial District Court for the State of New Mexico.
Ulibarri was arrested on related state charges on Aug. 15, 2015. Those charges have been dismissed in favor of federal prosecution.
If convicted of the crime charged in the criminal complaint, Ulibarri faces a maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison. Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations. All criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Farmington Police Department, with assistance from the 11th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob A. Wishard is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst" offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders primarily based on their prior felony convictions for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible. Because New Mexico’s violent crime rates, on a per capita basis, are amongst the highest in the nation, New Mexico’s law enforcement community is collaborating to target repeat offenders from counties with the highest violent crime rates, including San Juan County, under this initiative.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
