ACOMA PUEBLO MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FEDERAL CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE CHARGES

ALBUQUERQUE – Benedict Anthony Sena, 59, a member and resident of Acoma Pueblo, N.M., pleaded guilty in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., on July 30, 2019, to a felony information charging him with two counts of abusive sexual contact of children under the age of 12 years.  Sena was remanded into federal custody after entering his guilty plea.

Sena was arrested on Aug. 1, 2016, on an indictment that charged him with aggravated sexual abuse.  According to the indictment, Sena sexually assaulted two children under the age of 12 years between Jan. 1, 2016 and Feb. 15, 2016, in Indian Country in Cibola County, N.M.

Sena entered his guilty plea under a plea agreement in which he admitted committing the two crimes charged in the felony information in Acoma Pueblo between Jan. 1, 2016 and Feb. 15, 2016.  In his plea agreement, Sena admitted touching the two child victims, both under the age of 12 years, on their groins and buttocks to arouse and gratify his sexual desire.

Sena will remain in custody pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.  At sentencing, Sena faces a statutory maximum penalty of life imprisonment, and will be required to register as a sex offender.

The Acoma Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services investigated this case with assistance from the Acoma Pueblo Tribal Police Department.   Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Murphy is prosecuting the case.