1-04-2025 11:54am

DOJ New Mexico District Weekly News Roundup January 2nd, 2025

Chris Edwards Editor

The Department of Justice New Mexico office released information on the most recent arrests, convictions and plea agreements for the week. Below is highlights of the most recent actions...

A Mexican national was sentenced to 117 months in prison and ordered to pay a $600 special assessment for attempting to destroy an unmanned aerial system and federal drug trafficking offenses in New Mexico.

According to court documents, on July 3, 2023, officers from the Albuquerque Police Department tracked Rogelio Rodriguez-Salas, 29, a Mexican national who had previously been deported and was illegally present in the United States, by using a drone while he was in possession of a stolen vehicle. In an attempt to evade surveillance, Rodriguez-Salasfired a handgun at the drone to damage and disable it. Following this incident, he was arrested but subsequently released into the community.

Weeks later, on July 21, 2023, deputies from the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department encountered Rodriguez-Salas again. He was found in possession of a revolver while engaged in drug trafficking activities and driving another stolen vehicle. At that time, he had more than four grams of fentanyl intended for distribution when stopped by deputies. His illegal presence in the U.S. prohibited him from possessing both firearms and ammunition.

On July 15, 2024, Rodriguez-Salas pleaded guilty to multiple charges: attempting to damage, destroy, disable, and wreck an aircraft; being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition; re-entering the United States as a removed alien; possessing with intent to distribute four grams or more of fentanyl; and possessing a firearm to further a drug trafficking scheme.

Upon his release from prison, Rodriguez-Salas will be subject to three years of supervised release and subject to deportation proceedings.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement.

The U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General conducted this investigation with the Albuquerque Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations. This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico.

A Phoenix man has been charged with two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child under 12 years old.

The indictment alleges that between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2019, Jeremy Blueeyes, 25, a member of the Navajo Nation, unlawfully and knowingly engaged in and attempted to engage in sexual acts with a child who had not yet attained the age of 12 years.

Blueeyes will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted, Blueeyes faces a minimum of 30 years and up to life in prison.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement.

The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.

View the Indictment (Blueeyes).pdf

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilt.

The FBI is investigating allegations of child sexual abuse involving a minor against a man in Vanderwagen, New Mexico.

Nolin Leupp, 26, appeared before a federal judge and will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled, on charges of receiving child sexual abuse material.

According to court documents, on December 8, 2024, a witness reported a suspected sexual assault involving Leupp and a minor victim. The witness further disclosed concerning communications between Leupp and the victim, including Snapchat messages of a sexual nature and plans to meet late at night.

During a subsequent interview on December 19, 2024, Leupp admitted to a romantic relationship with the minor. A search of Leupp’s phone revealed four videos of suspected child sexual abuse material, downloaded from Discord and Snapchat.

If convicted of the current charges, Leupp faces a mandatory minimum of 5 and up to 20 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement.

The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case as part of 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 (Leupp).pdf

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

A Whiteriver man has been charged with two counts of sexual abuse.

The indictment alleges that between August 1, 2021, and August 31, 2021, Fernando Yatsatie, Jr., 47, a member of the Zuni Pueblo, unlawfully engaged in and attempted to engage in sexual acts using threats and intimidation.

Yatsatie will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted, Yatsatie faces any term of years up to life in prison.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement.

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.

View the Indictment (Yatsatie).pdf

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.