San Ildefonso Pueblo Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting a Federal Officer

ALBUQUERQUE – Jordan Roybal, 25, an enrolled member of the San Ildefonso Pueblo who resides in San Felipe Pueblo, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to assaulting a federal officer.

Roybal was arrested on March 3, 2017, on a criminal complaint charging him with assaulting a federal officer. According to the criminal complaint, Roybal was arrested on tribal charges on Nov. 21, 2016, after he assaulted a law enforcement officer of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Roybal committed the assault on San Ildefonso Pueblo in Santa Fe County, N.M., by resisting arrest and challenging the officer to fight. During the assault, Roybal bit the officer on the wrist. The officer also sustained skinned knees, a scrape on his left hand, swelling of his right knee and soreness to his left wrist as the result of the assault.

Roybal was subsequently charged in a two-count indictment on March 28, 2017, with assaulting a federal officer on Nov. 21, 2016 in Santa Fe County, and assaulting a federal officer on Jan. 26, 2017, in Rio Arriba County, N.M.

During today’s proceedings, Roybal pled guilty to Count 1 of the indictment charging him with assaulting a federal officer. In entering the guilty plea, Roybal admitted that on Nov. 21, 2016, he assaulted a BIA officer while the officer was attempting to arrest him on tribal offenses by lying about his identity, cursing at the officer, resisting arrest, throwing his elbow into the officer, biting the officer, and verbally threatening the officer.

At sentencing, Roybal faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Roybal remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Santa Fe office of the FBI and the Northern Pueblos Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elisa Dimas is prosecuting the case.