A member of the Navajo Nation has been sentenced to eight years and six months in prison for sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country.

In the indictment against 65-year-old Larry Nathaniel, of Farmington, he was charged with holding the girl down by her arm and touching her genitalia. The victim was ten years old at the time.

Court records say Nathaniel committed the offense at the victim’s home in San Juan County on Feb. 24, 2019.

He pleaded guilty Feb. 2 and was sentenced Aug. 25 in federal court.

When he is released from prison, he will be subject to five years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.

The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI...

Agents from nine units participated

When 24-year-old Christopher Perez, of Albuquerque, broke parole by unlawfully owning a firearm, eight different law enforcement agencies, as well as tactical team members responded.

Agents from the New Mexico State Police Auto Theft Unit, Violent Crimes Task Force Unit, Crime Suppression Unit, Special Investigations Unit, and Fugitive Apprehension Unit along with NMSP Tactical Team members, New Mexico Department of Corrections, Adult Probation and Parole, and APD SWAT arrived at a residence at 312 Aztec Rd. NW in Albuquerque.

As agents approached, they saw Perez flee into the yard. Agents believed Perez was still on the property, so a perimeter...

Even the dogs got into the act when the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office participated in the annual Mothers Against Drunk Driving Saturation Saturday event Aug. 28 at a Navajo, N.M. checkpoint on Route 12.

A law enforcement presence was requested in the area and MCSO checked 167 vehicles for sobriety and even a few dogs without collars.

It all evolved out of a visit to the Navajo Housing Authority which had scheduled trainings for its members.

Undersheriff James Maiorano III spoke with community members about neighborhood watch and enforcement issues in the community. His visit was followed by another from Lieutenant Monty Yazzie and Deputy Jeff Barnhurst who spoke about gang...

Cooper Pat
July 22, 6:36 pm
Aggravated DWI

A call about a fight at an address on Second Street led Gallup Police Officer Richard Rangel III to the area where he met with the victim. While the two were in discussion, the suspect vehicle, a green Ford Explorer, passed them and Rangel followed it, and conducted a traffic stop.

The driver, Cooper Pat, 39, Rock Springs, N.M., told Rangel he had only witnessed the fight, but was not involved in jumping the victim, nor were any of the passengers in his vehicle. He went on to say he had witnessed the incident but did not get involved.

Pat exited the vehicle on Rangel’s command, at which point the officer noted Pat had bloodshot eyes...