DURANGO, Colorado – A brutal sexual assault on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation has led to a stern sentence. Merle Denezpi, 39, of Shiprock, New Mexico, was yesterday sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Blackburn to serve 360 months (30 years) in federal prison for his heinous act.
Denezpi’s aggression was caught on March 1, 2019, when a federal jury found him guilty after a trial before Judge Blackburn. The defendant was indicted on June 7, 2018, for Aggravated Sexual Assault within the exterior boundaries of the reservation near Towaoc, Colorado.
According to court documents and trial evidence, Denezpi used physical force and death threats in his attack, leaving the victim with significant bruising and injuries. After his assault, Denezpi threatened the victim’s life to prevent her from reporting the crime. He then fled the scene by jumping out of a second-story window, hiding for hours to evade police.
The case was prosecuted effectively, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Graves and Tim Neff leading the charge against Denezpi. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, supported by their Victim Witness Specialist, played a crucial role in the investigation.
“Our office is committed to vigorously prosecuting crimes committed on the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation,” declared U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “Denezpi’s belief that he could silence his victim and escape accountability was proven wrong.” The defendant, now facing 10 years of supervised release after his prison sentence, has been remanded into custody following his sentencing hearing.
The justice system has spoken; Denezpi’s sentence sends a clear message about the severity of sexual assault within tribal boundaries and the dedication of law enforcement to protect indigenous communities.
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Key Facts
- State: Colorado
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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