Navajo Man from Gamerco, N.M., Pleads Guilty to Making a False Statement to the FBI

ALBUQUERQUE – This morning in federal court, Benson Pete, 74, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Gamerco, N.M., pled guilty to a felony information charging him with making a false statement to a law enforcement agency.  Under the terms of a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Pete will be sentenced to a range of 12 to 33 months in federal prison followed by a period of supervised release to be determined by the court.

Pete was arrested on June 3, 2014, on an indictment charging him two counts of sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12 between Jan. 1, 2013 and March 31, 2013, in Indian Country in McKinley County, N.M.

During today’s proceedings, Pete pled guilty to an information charging him with making a false statement to a law enforcement agency.  In entering the guilty plea, Pete admitted that on July 30, 2013, he provided false information regarding the aggravated sexual abuse of a victim to the FBI. Pete further admitted that he withdrew any claims that he was coerced by an FBI agent, and that the statements he made on July 30, 2013, were voluntarily made.

This case was investigated by the Gallup office of the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elaine Y. Ramirez and Raquel Ruiz-Velez.