David Ralph Martinez, Armed Robbery, New Mexico 2011

Albuquerque Man Convicted of Armed Robbery on Santa Clara Pueblo Reservation

David Ralph Martinez, a 27-year-old non-Indian man from Chimayo, New Mexico, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for robbing a Santa Clara Pueblo man on the Santa Clara Pueblo Reservation in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico.

On August 11, 2011, Martinez approached the victim at a credit union ATM located on Pueblo land and took $140 from the victim by threatening him with a knife. Martinez later pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the indictment, charging him with armed robbery.

The Court dismissed Count 2 of the indictment, which charged Martinez with assault with a dangerous weapon. Martinez was arrested on August 10, 2011, and had been in federal custody since that time.

As part of his sentence, Martinez was also ordered to pay $148.51 in restitution to the victim of the robbery and $140 to the U.S. New Mexico Credit Union. Martinez will serve three years of supervised release after completing his prison sentence.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, Northern Pueblos Agency, with assistance from the Santa Clara Tribal Police Department, the Espanola Police Department, and the Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Niki Tapia-Brito.

David Ralph Martinez, Defendant’s REAL full name, was found guilty of armed robbery and will serve a total of 30 months in prison. The crime occurred on August 11, 2011. Martinez was arrested on August 10, 2011, and was in federal custody since that time. The sentence includes 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Martinez was ordered to pay $148.51 in restitution to the victim and $140 to the U.S. New Mexico Credit Union.

The case highlights the importance of community policing and cooperation between law enforcement agencies. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, Northern Pueblos Agency, worked closely with local police departments to investigate and prosecute the case.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nm/pr/non-indian-chimayo-sentenced-thirty-months-prison-robbing-santa-clara-pueblo-man