Member of Navajo Nation sentenced to two years in federal prison for burglary in Indian Country

            ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Kari Johnson, 33, of Gallup, New Mexico was sentenced on Nov. 2 in federal court in Albuquerque to two years and three months in prison followed by one year of supervised release for residential burglary.

            Johnson pleaded guilty to this offense on Sept. 11, 2019.  According to court documents, on Feb. 19, 2016, Johnson and her co-defendant, Eric Martinez, forcibly broke into the home of the victims, who are enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, and stole an array of their personal items worth more than $60,000 dollars. The crime occurred on the Navajo Nation and Johnson and Martinez are both enrolled members of the Navajo Nation.

           Martinez, 33, of Mentmore, New Mexico, pleaded guilty to an indictment on Nov. 13, 2019, and was sentenced on Aug. 27 to two years and 3 months in federal prison followed by one year of supervised release.

           The Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety-Criminal Investigations services investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Cowen prosecuted the case.