A member of the Zuni Pueblo, Adrian Cheama, has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for stabbing an unarmed man in the abdomen with a sharp metal object. The incident occurred on June 16, 2025, and resulted in severe internal injuries that required the victim to be airlifted for life-saving medical treatment.
According to court records, Cheama stabbed the victim without apparent provocation and then disposed of the weapon so that law enforcement could not recover it. At the time of his arrest, Cheama denied responsibility for the attack.
Cheama later pled guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. He was ordered to pay $36,567 in restitution and will face two years of supervised release after serving his prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
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, announced the sentencing. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated with help from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan prosecuted the case.
