A brazen carjacking in Taos County has led to a conviction for a 56-year-old man from Costilla, New Mexico. Richard Howieson, 56, of Costilla, N.M., pled guilty this afternoon in Albuquerque, N.M., to a federal carjacking charge.
The plea agreement recommends that Howieson be sentenced to a term of imprisonment within the range of 12 to 36 months followed by a period of supervised release to be determined by the court. According to the indictment, Howieson committed the crime on Feb. 19, 2013.
During today’s proceedings, Howieson pled guilty to a felony information charging him with carjacking on Feb. 19, 2013. Howieson remains in federal custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
The FBI and the New Mexico State Police investigated this case, which has been ongoing for nearly a decade. The case against Howieson was first brought in 2016, when he was arrested on a three-count indictment.
The indictment was superseded in 2017 to charge Howieson with carjacking and carrying a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. The plea agreement marks a significant development in the case, which has been pending for years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney George Kraehe is prosecuting the case, which is a reminder of the serious consequences of carjacking. The FBI and the New Mexico State Police worked tirelessly to bring this case to justice.
The case is a stark reminder of the importance of community safety and the need for swift justice. We will continue to follow this case and provide updates as more information becomes available.
Related Federal Cases
- Richard Howieson, Federal Carjacking, New Mexico 2016 · Puerto Rico
- Juan Aguirre, Carjacking, New Mexico 2023 · New Mexico
- Preston Henry Tolth, Assault and Carjacking, Navajo Nation AZ, 2024 · Puerto Rico
- Richard Wayne Swicegood, 13 Armed Bank Robberies, TX, 2023 · Texas
- Roman I Trujillo, Home Invasion, New Mexico 2015 · New Mexico
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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