1-10-2025 9:50pm

DOJ New Mexico District Weekly News Roundup January 9th, 2025

Chris Edwards Editor

The New Mexico District Office of the Department of Justice released the following rundown of cases, convictions, pleas and indictments for January 9th, 2025.

A Zuni man has been charged with second degree murder in Indian Country.

The indictment alleges that on or about December 1, 2024, Glendon Laate, a member of the Zuni Pueblo, allegedly killed John Doe with malice aforethought by shooting him with a homemade firearm.

Laate will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted, Laate faces a minimum of 10 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 January 6th.

The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case.

View the Indictment (Laate).pdf

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

A Newcomb man pleaded guilty to federal charges of sexual contact with two minors.

According to court documents, Roderick Bitsilly, 61, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, admitted to engaging in sexual contact with Jane Doe 1, a child under 12, between February and August 2014. Additionally, Bitsilly pleaded guilty to similar charges involving Jane Doe 2, also under 12, between September 2019 and September 2020.

Bitsilly will remain in third-party custody at a halfway house pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Bitsilly faces up 75 months in prison. Upon his release from prison, Bitsilly will be subject to no less than five years up to life of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.

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 U.S. Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case.

View the Plea Agreement (Bitsilly).pdf

Following a four-day trial and less than three hours of deliberation, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict against two Nigerian nationals who participated in an international romance scheme.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the scheme, which began in January 2016, involved the creation of a fictitious persona named "Glenn Brown" on the dating website eHarmony.com. Olutayo Sunday Ogunlaja, 39, and Abel Adeyi Daramola, 37, both Nigerian nationals, worked with another individual who used this fake profile to initiate a romantic relationship with a victim in Albuquerque, New Mexico and subsequently request money from them. Throughout the course of the fraud, the victim was led to believe that their financial assistance was necessary for “Glenn Brown” to complete a purported construction project in Malaysia and return safely to the United States.

The victim sent approximately $560,000 to various accounts in the United States, Canada, and Malaysia between January 2016 and April 2017. On September 27, 2016, the victim wired approximately $28,000 to a Woodforest Bank account in the name of Daramola Cars, as instructed by the fraudulent "Glenn Brown" persona. Daramola subsequently wired $18,000 to a seafood importer in Denmark and issued a check for $14,000.

Daramola denied any knowledge of the romance scheme, however the FBI's investigation uncovered extensive evidence, including text and WhatsApp correspondence on Daramola's phone, revealing his role as a provider of bank accounts for various fraud schemes including romance fraud schemes.

Ogunlaja's involvement included using his Bank of America account for receiving fraudulent funds. Specifically, on March 9 and March 15, 2016, “Glenn Brown” instructed the victim to deposit $20,000 cash into Ogunlaja's account. Following these deposits,Ogunlaja made multiple cash withdrawals and transfers to Daramola’s account.

Following the verdict, the Court ordered that Ogunlaja and Daramola remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Ogunlaja and Daramolaeach face up to 20 years in prison.

There is no parole in the federal system.

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

The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Peña is prosecuting the case.

Three individuals face federal charges for allegedly kidnapping a woman, with one defendant facing multiple assault charges, including the use of a firearm.

The indictment alleges that Michael Clubfoot, 45, Carlyn Calavaza, 41, both of Zuni, and Alexis Mahooty, 40, of Pine Hill, all enrolled members of the Zuni Pueblo, unlawfully kidnapped Jane Doe in 2024, and held her for ransom, reward, and otherwise. Clubfoot faces additional charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, use of a firearm during a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Clubfoot will remain in custody pending trial. Calavaza and Mahooty, will remain in the third-party custody pending trial, which is currently set for February 10, 2025.

If convicted, Clubfoot, Calavaza and Mahooty face any term of years up to life in prison for the kidnapping charge.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI 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 Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.

View the Indictment (Clubfoot et al.).pdf

Two defendants have each been sentenced to 19 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $5,355.60 for their roles in the brutal 2020 murder of Jane Doe.

There is no parole in the federal system.

On January 23, 2020, Stacey Yellowhorse, 53, and her then-boyfriend Timothy Chischilly, 51, both enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, invited Jane Doe to Chischilly’s home in Mexican Springs. That night, they restrained Doe by nailing her hands and head to the floor and then bludgeoned her to death before burning her remains and scattering them across various locations in the Navajo Nation.

Following the murder, Yellowhorse and Chischillymisled Doe's family about her whereabouts, falsely claiming that Yellowhorse had dropped Doe off at a local restaurant. They visited Doe’s family a few days after the murder, and Yellowhorse assured them that they would find her safe, including telling Doe’s seven-year-old daughter that Yellowhorse was going to look for the girl’s mother and would bring her back safe.

On January 27, 2020, after Jane Doe was reported missing, Chischilly confessed to his family, detailing how he and Yellowhorse had killed Doe. This confession led to their arrest on February 1, 2020.

Chischilly pled guilty to second-degree murder in February 2024. Shortly before trial was set to begin in March 2024, Yellowhorse also pled guilty to second-degree murder.

Upon their release from prison, Yellowhorse and Chischilly will be subject to five years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement.

The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department, Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations and the Gallup Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Brawley and Tavo Hall are prosecuting the case.

A Navajo man has been charged with second degree murder in Indian Country.

According to court documents, on July 26, 2022, officers from the Navajo Nation Police Department responded to reports of a shooting near Ojo Encino. Upon arrival, officers discovered John Doe deceased at the scene with a gunshot wound to his chest and right arm. Witnesses identified Jason Lee Martinez, 51, a member of the Navajo Nation, as the shooter, who fled the scene immediately after the shooting.

Investigators recovered seven .40 caliber bullet casings from the scene, and the autopsy confirmed fatal gunshot wounds consistent with a single bullet that traveled through John Doe’s chest, heart, lung, and liver.

On August 26, 2022, FBI agents interviewed Martinez, who admitted to being involved in the altercation with John Doe.

Martinez will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted, Martinez faces 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 FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case.

A Dulce man is facing federal charges for assault by strangulation after the victim was hospitalized with serious injuries.

According to court documents, on February 19, 2024, officers responded to a fight on Veneno Street in Dulce. There they encounter Chalmers Dedios, 32, and the victim. Officers determined that the victim was in distress, showing signs of fear and wearing heavy clothing despite warm weather. After Dedioswas arrested on unrelated charges, the victim told officers they had been assaulted multiple times, including strangulation incidents on February 10 and 14.

The victim was taken to San Juan Regional Medical Center for serious injuries, including an active brain bleed. During a subsequent interview, Dediosadmitted to strangling the victim. Dedios and the victim are enrolled members of the Jicarilla Apache Nation Indian Tribe.

Dedios is in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Dedios faces up to 10 years in prison.

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

The Jicarilla Apache Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case.

View the Criminal Complaint (Dedios).pdf

An Albuquerque man was sentenced in federal court to 20 years in prison for a series of armed robberies committed in February and March 2022 after he absconded from a federal halfway house.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, Xavior Akina, 28, committed the following crimes:

On February 23, 2022, Akina robbed a Chevron gas station in Los Lunas at gunpoint, stealing money, cigarettes, and an energy drink.
On February 25, 2022, Akina robbed a Circle K in Los Lunas, again using a silver handgun to demand money from the clerk.
On March 12, 2022, Akina robbed another Circle K in Albuquerque, shooting and injuring the clerk during the incident.
On March 13, 2022, Akina committed two more armed robberies in Albuquerque, targeting a DK convenience store and a Sally's Beauty Store.

Prior to his crime spree, Akina had absconded from a federal halfway house. Akina's criminal history includes a prior conviction for armed robbery of a pizza delivery person in 2018, for which he was sentenced to 84 months in prison.

Upon his release from prison, Akina will be subject to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement.

The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel A. Hurtado prosecuted the case.

And that is this weeks DOJ wrap up.