Fabian Tsethlikai, Domestic Assault by Habitual Offender, New Mexico 2016

Related Federal Cases

Zuni Pueblo Man Pleads Guilty to Domestic Assault by Habitual Offender · New Mexico
Dulce Man Sentenced to 46 Months for Habitual Domestic Violence · New Mexico
Gallup Man Jailed for Domestic Violence Assault · New Mexico
Laguna Pueblo Man Gets 10 Years for Brutal Assault · New Mexico
Gallup Man Gets 42 Months for Deadly Navajo Nation Assault · New Mexico

Table of Contents

Fabian Tsethlikai Sentenced for Domestic Assault

ALBUQUERQUE – In a disturbing case of domestic violence, Fabian Tsethlikai, a 47-year-old member and resident of Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico, has been sentenced to 21 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction on a domestic assault by a habitual offender charge.

Tsethlikai was arrested on February 10, 2016, on an indictment charging him with assault of an intimate partner by a habitual offender. The indictment alleged that Tsethlikai committed the offense on December 10, 2014, on Zuni Pueblo in McKinley County, New Mexico.

Tsethlikai was charged as a habitual offender based on his two prior domestic violence convictions in Zuni Pueblo Tribal Court. Zuni Pueblo Tribal Court records reflect that Tsethlikai’s prior convictions occurred in 2010 and 2011.

On May 13, 2016, Tsethlikai pled guilty to the indictment and admitted that on December 10, 2014, he assaulted the victim, his intimate partner, by repeatedly striking her in the face with his fist while driving a vehicle within the Zuni Reservation. He also acknowledged his two prior tribal court convictions.

This case was investigated by the Zuni Pueblo Tribal Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Adams pursuant to the Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (Tribal SAUSA) Pilot Project in the District of New Mexico, which is sponsored by the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women under a grant administered by the Pueblo of Laguna.

The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project seeks to train tribal prosecutors in federal law, procedure and investigative techniques to increase the likelihood that every viable violent offense against Native women is prosecuted in either federal court or tribal court, or both. This project is a step in the ongoing efforts to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in tribal communities.

Tsethlikai’s sentencing sends a strong message that domestic violence will not be tolerated in New Mexico, and that those who commit such crimes will be held accountable. This case serves as a reminder of the importance of supporting victims of domestic violence and working to prevent such crimes from occurring in the first place.