A 27-year-old Taos Pueblo man has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Keith E. Lucero entered the guilty plea in federal court in Albuquerque, New Mexico, without a plea agreement.
The indictment alleges that Lucero committed these crimes while driving under the influence of alcohol in Indian Country in Taos County, New Mexico, on March 2, 2014. According to court filings, Lucero killed a Taos Pueblo man who was in Lucero’s vehicle during a crash in El Prado, New Mexico, while Lucero was under the influence of alcohol. Another Taos Pueblo man who was also a passenger in the vehicle sustained serious bodily injuries as a result of the crash.
Lucero was arrested on July 28, 2014, on an indictment charging him with killing an Indian man and assaulting another Indian man. He has been in federal custody since his arrest and remains detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
The case was investigated by the Northern Pueblos Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services and the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Y. Ramirez is prosecuting the case.
Lucero faces a statutory maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison at sentencing. Maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided for information purposes only. The sentence on Lucero will be determined by the court.
Lucero, a member and resident of Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. He has been in federal custody since his arrest.
The investigation and prosecution of this case reflect the Department of Justice’s commitment to reducing violent crime and holding individuals accountable for their actions.
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- Vernon Poleahla, Involuntary Manslaughter, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, New Mexico 2018 · Texas
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- Paul Raymond Garcia, Involuntary Manslaughter, New Mexico 2015 · New Mexico
- Darold Ray ZunieFeathers, Involuntary Manslaughter, New Mexico 2015 · New Mexico
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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