Navajo Man from McKinley County Pleads Guilty to Assaulting a Child

ALBUQUERQUE – Richard Martinez, 38, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Ojo Encino, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to federal child abuse charges. The plea agreement recommends that Martinez be sentenced to five years of imprisonment followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.

Martinez was arrested in Aug. 2016, on an indictment charging him with two counts of child abuse resulting in great bodily harm on Dec. 24, 2014, on the Navajo Indian Reservation in McKinley County, N.M.

During today’s proceedings, Martinez pled guilty to an information charging him with two counts of assault resulting in substantial bodily injury. In entering the guilty plea, Martinez admitted that on Dec. 24, 2014, he assaulted the victim who was under the age of 16 years by twisting and pulling the victim’s left leg and left arm causing the victim to suffer fractures to his shoulder and left leg. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Mease and Nicholas J. Marshall.