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Gallup Sun

Friday, Mar 29th

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From Detox to Jail

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Tamara Cleveland, 19, of Churchrock, N.M. was arrested and booked into the McKinley County Adult Detention Center after stabbing another female at the Gallup Detox Center several times.

According to the statement of probable cause, Gallup Police Officer D. Hoffman was dispatched to the detox facility in reference to a fight in the “women’s housing area.” When Hoffman arrived at the facility, McKinley County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Arnold Noriega had Cleveland in the back of his unit and medical personnel were checking on Direne Belingachee, who had been stabbed five times.

According to the report, Cleveland told Hoffman that she was sleeping and Belingachee kicked at her head, and that she was in fear of getting “jumped.” Cleveland had admittedly concealed a knife while being taken to detox. She used this to stab Belingachee.

“I asked how many times and [Cleveland] said she didn’t know, but said she just kept stabbing,” Hoffman said in his statement of probable cause.

Hoffman also added into his statement his observation of Cleveland, that she was at the jail talking to another inmate and bragging about the stabbing, even saying that Belingachee “got what she deserved.”

Cleveland was charged with Aggravated battery. Belingachee was taken to a local hospital, housed in the Intensive Care Unit.