Santa Fe Man Admits Brutal Kidnapping on Pueblo Land

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Earl Adams, 53, a member of the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo residing in Santa Fe, has admitted to a horrific act of violence and confinement. Adams pled guilty today in federal court to kidnapping, bringing him one step closer to facing justice for the brutal attack committed on Pueblo land.

The case stems back to March 1 and 2, 2016, on the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo in Rio Arriba County. Adams was initially indicted on charges of assault resulting in serious bodily injury, alongside the kidnapping charge. His arrest came on March 2, 2017, but the legal process has been grinding slowly until today’s guilty plea.

Court documents detail a disturbing scenario fueled by alcohol. Adams seized and confined the victim within a residence on March 1, 2016, simply because she refused his demand to drive him to a store to purchase alcohol. The situation quickly escalated into a savage assault. Adams repeatedly punched and kicked the victim, dragged her across the floor by her hair, and then bound her hands and feet with zip ties – a chilling display of control and cruelty.

The victim suffered devastating injuries as a result of Adams’s rage. She sustained a black eye, a fractured nose requiring surgical intervention, a fractured forearm also needing surgery, injuries to her hand and wrist that necessitated physical therapy, and the loosening of her front teeth. Adams held her captive until March 2, 2016, when law enforcement finally arrived at the residence and secured her release.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, Adams is looking at an 11-year federal prison sentence, followed by a period of supervised release to be determined by the court. He remains in custody pending the scheduling of a sentencing hearing. This case was a joint effort between the Northern Pueblos Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services and the Ohkay Owingeh Tribal Police Department.

The prosecution is being handled by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucy Solimon, as part of the innovative Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (Tribal SAUSA) Pilot Project. This project, funded by the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women and administered by the Pueblo of Laguna, aims to bolster tribal prosecution of violent crimes against Native American women, ensuring these cases receive the attention and justice they deserve. It’s a direct response to tribal consultations and a key component of the DOJ’s ongoing efforts to improve public safety in tribal communities.

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