Ohkay Owingeh Man Attacks Officer, Faces Federal Charges

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – A routine domestic disturbance call on the Ohkay Owingeh Indian Reservation exploded into a violent encounter, leaving a tribal police officer assaulted and a 43-year-old man facing serious federal charges. Ronald J. Martinez, a resident of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, appeared in federal court this morning, already shackled and facing a grim future.

According to a criminal complaint filed with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the incident unfolded on April 20, 2017, when the Ohkay Owingeh Tribal Police Department responded to a reported fight at a residence on the reservation in Rio Arriba County. The call centered around a dispute between Martinez and a woman regarding a firearm. Things quickly spiraled out of control when the responding officer attempted to arrest Martinez.

Instead of complying, Martinez allegedly turned on the officer, striking him with a stick. The complaint details a brazen assault on a law enforcement official simply attempting to de-escalate a potentially dangerous situation. Officers were ultimately able to subdue Martinez and secure the scene, recovering a loaded firearm in the process.

The discovery of the weapon is particularly damning for Martinez, who is already a convicted felon. His prior convictions include assault resulting in serious bodily injury and discharging a firearm during a violent crime – offenses that permanently prohibit him from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This adds a significant layer to the charges he now faces.

Martinez is now charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of ten years in prison for each charge, potentially leaving him behind bars for two decades. He remains in federal custody, awaiting preliminary and detention hearings scheduled for May 1, 2017.

The investigation was a joint effort between the Northern Pueblos Agency of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services and the Ohkay Owingeh Tribal Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elisa Dimas is prosecuting the case. It’s a stark reminder that violence against law enforcement, combined with illegal firearm possession, will be met with the full force of the federal justice system.