Jemez Pueblo Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Sexual Abuse Charge

ALBUQUERQUE – Irving Shendo, 59, a member of the Jemez Pueblo, pleaded guilty this morning to a felony information charging him with aggravated sexual abuse of a child.  Under the terms of his plea agreement, Shendo will be sentenced to eight years in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.  Shendo also will be required to register as a sex offender.

Shendo was arrested in July 2013, based on a criminal complaint alleging that he engaged in a sexual act with a Jemez Pueblo child under the age of 12 years.  According to court filings, Shendo sexually abused the child victim in August 2008 in a residence located on Jemez Pueblo, N.M., but his criminal conduct was first reported to law enforcement authorities in April 2013. 

During today’s change of plea hearing, Shendo admitted that on Aug. 1, 2008, he engaged in a sexual act with the child victim.  He further acknowledged committing the crime in Jemez Pueblo.

Shendo has been in federal custody since his arrest.  He remains detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled. 

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI, the Jemez Pueblo Tribal Police Department and the Albuquerque Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Presiliano A. Torrez as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc/.