Mescalero Apache Man Pleads Guilty to Statutory Rape Charge

ALBUQUERQUE – Norman Stan Chee, 21, a member of the Mescalero Apache Nation, pleaded guilty this afternoon to a statutory rape charge in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M.  Chee entered his guilty plea without the benefit of a plea agreement.

Chee was arrested in Oct. 2013, based on a criminal complaint alleging that he knowingly engaged in a sexual act with a child between 12 and 16 years of age.  Today Chee entered a guilty plea to a felony information charging him with engaging in a sexual act with a minor who was at least four years younger than Chee on Feb. 21, 2012, at a location within the Mescalero Apache Reservation.

According to court filings, the BIA’s Office of Justice Services initiated an investigation into Chee in July 2012, when officers responded to a call regarding an alleged assault and saw Chee and the victim, who was 15 years old, fleeing from the site of the assault.  During an interview, the victim acknowledged having engaged in sexual activity with Chee.  Chee also was interviewed and admitted that he engaged in sexual acts with the victim.  Chee stated that his sexual relationship with the victim began in Feb. 2012, and admitted knowing that the victim was 15 years old.

Chee is in federal custody and remains detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.  At sentencing, Chee faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.

This case was investigated by the Mescalero Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan of the U .S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.