Isleta Pueblo Man Pleads Guilty to Domestic Assault by a Habitual Offender Charge

ALBUQUERQUE – Warren Chewiwi, 42, a member of Isleta Pueblo who resides in Bosque Farms, N.M., pleaded guilty this morning in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to a domestic assault by a habitual offender charge.  Under the terms of his plea agreement, Chewiwi will be sentenced to 23 in months in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.

Chewiwi was arrested on Aug. 12, 2015, on an indictment charging him with domestic assault of an intimate partner by a habitual offender on Sept. 8, 2013, in Indian Country in Valencia County, N.M.  According to the indictment, Chewiwi was charged as a habitual offender based on his two prior domestic violence convictions in Isleta Tribal Court.  Isleta Tribal Court records reflect the Chewiwi’s prior convictions occurred in 2010 and 2013.

During today’s proceedings, Chewiwi pled guilty to the indictment and admitted that on Sept. 8, 2013, he assaulted the victim, his intimate partner, by grabbing her by the hair, jerking her around the room and hitting her with an open hand while he was under the influence of alcohol.  He also acknowledged his two prior tribal court convictions. 

Chewiwi remains in federal custody pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.  At sentencing, Chewiwi will receive credit for time served in tribal custody on a related case.

This case was investigated by the Southern Pueblos Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services and the Pueblo of Isleta Tribal Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Adams pursuant to the Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (Tribal SAUSA) Pilot Project in the District of New Mexico which is sponsored by the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women under a grant administered by the Pueblo of Laguna.  The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project seeks to train tribal prosecutors in federal law, procedure and investigative techniques to increase the likelihood that every viable violent offense against Native women is prosecuted in either federal court or tribal court, or both.  The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project was largely driven by input gathered from annual tribal consultations on violence against women, and is another step in the Justice Department's on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in tribal communities.