Elliott Romancito, Sexual Abuse of a Minor, New Mexico 2021

Photo of Elliott Romancito

Elliott Romancito, a 28-year-old Taos Pueblo man, has been sentenced to two years in prison for the sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country. The sentence was handed down in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico.

According to the plea agreement and court records, Romancito pleaded guilty on November 3, 2021, to one count of sexual abuse of a minor. The crime occurred on October 1, 2018, when Romancito had sex with a 15-year-old victim, identified as Jane Doe, an enrolled member of the Taos Pueblo, in the early morning hours after leaving a party together.

Romancito, an enrolled member of the Taos Pueblo, drove Jane Doe to a different location on the Taos Pueblo instead of taking her home, and then engaged in the illicit activity. This heinous act has left a lasting impact on the victim and her community.

The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorneys Elisa Dimas and David Cowen prosecuted it as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood brings together federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children and to identify and rescue victims.

Upon his release from prison, Romancito will be subject to five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. This sentence serves as a reminder that the abuse and exploitation of children will not be tolerated in our communities.

The community must continue to work together to prevent such crimes from occurring in the first place. If you or someone you know is a victim of child abuse or exploitation, there are resources available to help. Please reach out to the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 or visit https://www.childhelp.org/ for support.

Elliott Romancito, Sexual Abuse of a Minor, 2 years in prison, $0 fine, Taos, New Mexico, October 1, 2018, November 3, 2021, Sex Crimes, District of New Mexico

Justice Served