Fernando Yatsatie, Jr. Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse, New Mexico 2021

An Arizona man has admitted to engaging in a horrific act of sexual abuse in New Mexico.

Fernando Yatsatie, Jr., 47, a member of the Zuni Pueblo, has pleaded guilty to sexual abuse after admitting to engaging in a sexual act with a victim in August 2021.

According to court documents, Yatsatie used threats and intimidation to carry out the abuse, leaving the victim in a state of fear.

The investigation into Yatsatie’s crimes was conducted by the Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from the Zuni Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case, with Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, making the announcement today.

Yatsatie faces a potential sentence of up to life in prison, and upon his release, he will be subject to no less than five years and up to life of supervised release.

The case is a stark reminder of the importance of holding perpetrators of sexual abuse accountable for their actions.

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