ALBUQUERQUE – Randy Payton, 35, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Churchrock, N.M., pled guilty July 18, in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to a voluntary manslaughter charge. Payton entered the guilty plea under a plea agreement that recommends that he be sentenced to a term of imprisonment within the range of seven to 13 years followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court

Payton was arrested on Oct. 19, 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with killing a Navajo man on the Navajo Indian Reservation in McKinley County on Oct. 14, 2016. According to the criminal complaint, Payton killed the victim by hitting and kicking him...

THOREAU – A Thoreau area man arrested July 17 for criminal sexual contact with a minor was released on a $4,000 cash surety bond July 19.

McKinley County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Lorenzo Guerrero responded to a call regarding another matter. And when he asked a 16-year-old girl about a domestic incident involving her parents, received what’s likely an unexpected response.

The teen told Guerrero that sometime in November Earl Martinez, Jr. forced himself on her.

He had been reportedly drinking when he ran his hands up her thigh and “proceeded to touch her private parts,” Guerrero states in his report.

In addition to being charged with criminal sexual contact with a minor...

Hansen Clark nearly caused a wreck, prompting the driver of that vehicle to call the police.

Gallup Police Department Officer Steven Peshlakai caught up with Clark as he headed north on Arnold Street. Peshlakai followed Clark for a short distance, noting that he was averaging speeds of 30 to 40 miles per hour in a 45-m.p.h. speed zone.

Peshlakai signaled for Clark to pullover near 2111 W. Highway 66.

When he approached Clark, sitting in his dark blue Chevy Trailblazer, Peshlakai noted that he had “a flushed look to his face and that his eyes dropped very low.”

The officer asked for his driver’s license and paperwork, but Clark failed to respond, he just waved his hands over...

Matthew M. Tsosie

07.08.17, 7:40 pm

Aggravated DWI, 2nd

While McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Salazar was working the sobriety checkpoint at County Road 1 and Mentmore Road, 30-year-old Tsosie approached the checkpoint and stopped when ordered to do so. Deputy Salazar observed an open box of beer on the passenger side floorboard. Tsosie told the deputy that the passenger had been drinking but the odor of intoxicating liquor was so great, Tsosie was asked to perform a field sobriety test, to which he agreed.

Tsosie failed every aspect of the test and the deputy determined that it was unsafe for Tsosie to drive a motor vehicle, placing him under arrest. A roadside...