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Press Release

FORMER CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE AT HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE SENTENCED TO 121 MONTHS IN PRISON FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Mexico

            ALBUQUERQUE – Francisco Javier Palillero, 28, Holloman Air Force Base, Alamogordo, New Mexico, was sentenced in federal court in Las Cruces yesterday to 121 months in prison for Sexual Abuse, committed against a civilian employee at Holloman Air Force Base.

A jury convicted Palillero of this offense on December 5, 2018, after a three day trial. The evidence at trial showed that on April 27, 2018, the victim and her fiancé were next-door neighbors to Palillero, on Holloman Air Force Base. On that date, the victim and her fiancé went to Palillero’s house for a barbeque. At approximately 10:00 p.m., the victim left the barbecue, returned home, and went to sleep in her bedroom with the bedroom door closed, while her fiancé remained at the barbecue.

At approximately 2:00 a.m, on April 28, 2018, Palillero, who was highly intoxicated, followed the victim’s fiancé back to the victim and her fiancé’s home. While the victim’s fiancé sat in the living room, Palillero snuck down a hallway leading to the victim’s bedroom, where she was sleeping. While the victim was sleeping and without her consent, Palillero kissed the victim’s face, rubbed her breasts, traced the outline of her underwear, moved her underwear to the side, rubbed her genital area roughly, and then digitally penetrated her vagina.

When the victim woke up, Palillero told her, “Don’t say anything” and then left the bedroom. The victim then charged out of her bedroom and punched Palillero multiple times in the face, knocking him to the floor.   

The case was investigated by the Las Cruces FBI office and Holloman Air Force Base Security Forces. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matilda M. Villalobos and Mark A. Saltman.

Updated July 9, 2019

Press Release Number: 19-95