ALBUQUERQUE—Steven Paul Tharpe, 51, a member and resident of the Laguna Pueblo, pleaded guilty this morning to an attempted robbery charge. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Tharpe will be sentenced to 24 months in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.

Tharpe was arrested on May 15, 2014, based on an indictment charging him with attempted robbery. According to the indictment, on July 21, 2012, Tharpe attempted to commit a robbery in Indian Country in Cibola County, N.M.

During today’s proceedings, Tharpe entered a guilty plea to the indictment and admitted that he attempted to rob the Sky City Casino, which is located in Acoma Pueblo, on July 21, 2012. In his plea agreement, Tharpe admitted that he attempted to rob the Casino by displaying a BB gun to a teller in a cashier’s cage at the Casino and demanding money.

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

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI, the Laguna/Acoma Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services and the Acoma Pueblo Tribal Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Y. Ramirez.