Phillip Edward Lahi, Sr., Abusive Sexual Contact, New Mexico 2021

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico - A federal judge handed down an eight-year prison sentence to Phillip Edward Lahi, Sr., 72, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, after he pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact in Indian Country.

According to publicly available court records, between November and December of 2021, Lahi, Sr. engaged in sexual contact with Jane Doe, a child relative under the age of 12.

Upon his release from prison, Lahi, Sr. will be subject to five years of supervised release with standard sex-offender-specific conditions, and must register as a sex offender. Lahi, Sr. must also pay a fine of $83,400.00 to offset the costs associated with his incarceration and supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany DuChaussee prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006.

The exact criminal charges against Lahi, Sr. include abusive sexual contact in Indian Country.

The city and state in which the crime took place is Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The crime date is November and December of 2021.

The sentence or outcome in this case is an eight-year prison sentence, five years of supervised release, and a fine of $83,400.00.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nm/pr/zuni-man-sentenced-prison-sexual-contact-minor