FBI investigating officer-involved shooting on Laguna Pueblo

The FBI is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred on Laguna Pueblo, N.M., on Oct. 23.

Details are sparse, but in its Oct. 27 release, the FBI said an adult has been taken to University of New Mexico Hospital but their condition was not made available as of Oct. 28.

The Cibola County Sheriff’s Office deputy who was involved was not hurt.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs and New Mexico State Police are assisting with the investigation.

Mescalero man charged with aggravated sexual abuse of a child

ALBUQUERQUE — Troy Douglas Blaylock, Sr., 57, of Mescalero, N.M., and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, was charged in federal court Sept. 22 with aggravated sexual abuse of a child and sexual abuse of a minor. The Court ordered Blaylock detained pending trial.

A criminal complaint alleges that from late 2019 until Aug. 2020 Blaylock repeatedly sexually abused a minor victim, who is also an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe and was eight-and nine-years old at the time of the abuse. The alleged abuse took place in the defendant’s residence within the external borders of the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation.

If convicted, Blaylock faces up to 15 years in prison for sexual abuse of a minor and a minimum of 30 years and up to life in prison for aggravated sexual abuse of a child.

A criminal complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa A. Ong is prosecuting the case.

Two Navajo men charged with sexual abuse of a minor

ALBUQUERQUE—Jeremiah Elijah Jim, 40, of Teec Nos Pos, Ariz., was arraigned in federal court on Oct. 6 on an indictment charging him with aggravated sexual abuse of a minor and abusive sexual contact of a minor in Indian Country.

His co-defendant, Bryan Bull, 39, of Shiprock, N.M., appeared in federal court on Sept. 21 for arraignment on the same charges. Both men are enrolled members of the Navajo Nation.

A federal grand jury charged Jim and Bull on Sept. 10 with four counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor and two counts of abusive sexual contact of a minor. The men are further charged in each count with aiding and abetting in the abuse.

According to the indictment, between June 3 and June 4, 2019, Jim and Bull allegedly threatened the then-14-year-old victim with serious bodily injury and sexually assaulted him. The offenses they are charged with took place in Shiprock, in San Juan County on the Navajo Nation.

Bull and Jim are currently in custody pending trial.  If convicted, they both face up to life in prison.

An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The Farmington Office of the FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer M. Rozzoni is prosecuting the case.