ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico – In a shocking turn of events, Lawrence Shije, 35, a member and resident of Zia Pueblo, was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for his conviction in the malicious burning of a dwelling located on Zia Pueblo.
The crime, which took place on June 30, 2012, saw Shije set fire to and burn a small area of a residence located on Zia Pueblo. The residence belonged to the mother of his two children, who were present when the fire was started.
The fire burned a small area of the residence’s external wall, approximately 12 inches by 12 inches in size, before it was extinguished.
Shije was indicted on October 30, 2013, and entered a guilty plea on January 13, 2014. As part of his plea agreement, Shije acknowledged his role in the arson and accepted responsibility for his actions.
Investigation of the case was conducted by the Southern Pueblos Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney David Adams.
The case was part of the Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (Tribal SAUSA) Pilot Project in the District of New Mexico, sponsored by the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women under a grant administered by the Pueblo of Laguna.
Related Federal Cases
- Theodore George Torres, Arson, New Mexico 2016 · North Carolina
- Terrence Shije, Violent Domestic Assault, New Mexico 2023 · New Mexico
- Brian Dyea, Arson of Occupied Dwelling, New Mexico 2016 · New Mexico
- Ulrick Bruce Canyon, Residence Arson, New Mexico 2024 · Arkansas
- Alberto Toddy, Murder and Arson, Arizona 2020 · Puerto Rico
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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