Pojoaque Pueblo Woman Pleads Guilty to Abandoning Her Infant

ALBUQUERQUE – Alma Garcia, 29, a member and resident of Pojoaque Pueblo, pled guilty this morning in federal court to a misdemeanor information charging her with child abandonment.

The information charged Garcia with abandoning her minor child in spring 2010, in a situation in which the child may have suffered neglect. In entering her guilty plea this morning, Garcia admitted that, in April or May 2010, she intentionally left her infant in the custody of another person who neglected the child. Garcia admitted that this incident occurred on Pojoaque Pueblo.

Garcia was released under pretrial supervision pending her sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled. At sentencing, Garcia faces up to a year in prison and a $1,000.00 fine.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, Northern Pueblos Agency with assistance from the Pojoaque Pueblo Department of Social Services, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob A. Wishard.