A Church Rock man has been charged with sexual assault after he reportedly had sexual encounters with multiple minors.
According to court documents, between January 2014 and April of 2022, Nathaniel Luz allegedly engaged in sexual acts with a child who had not reached the age of 12 five separate times. Then, between January 2021 and December 2021, 31-year-old Luz, a registered member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly engaged in sexual contact with a second victim, a child who had also not reached the age of 12 years. Lastly, in August 2022, Luz allegedly engaged in a sexual act with a third victim, a child who was older than 12 but not yet 16.
Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced on Sept. 12 that Luz appeared in federal court on a complaint charging him with four counts of aggravated sexual abuse, one count of sexual abuse of a minor and two counts of abusive sexual contact. Luz will remain in custody pending trial.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted on the current charges, Luz faces up to life in prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, Navajo Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case.
