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Press Release

Santa Fe man pleads guilty to possession of firearms stolen from the Bureau of Indian Affairs

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

              ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Derek Padilla, 29, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court in Albuquerque on Oct. 16 to a charge of possession of stolen firearms.

              According to the plea agreement and other court records, Padilla committed the offense in Santa Fe County on or about May 20, 2020. Padilla stole firearms, drug evidence, Meals Ready-to-Eat, and a utility truck, from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Padilla stole the property from a Bureau of Indian Affairs complex located on Nambe Pueblo. 

              Padilla faces up to 10 years in prison and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

              The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Federal Protective Service investigated this case with assistance from the Pojoaque Police Department, the New Mexico State Police, and the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Jaros is prosecuting the case.

Updated October 21, 2020

Topics
Firearms Offenses
Indian Country Law and Justice
Press Release Number: 20-193