Press Release
U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Sentence of Isleta Village Man for Federal Firearms Offense
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE – A Los Lunas man was sentenced to 15 months in prison for shooting at a family friend with a shotgun following a dispute.
According to court records, on December 14, 2023, Vincent Jerome Martinez opened fire on a family friend with a 12-gauge shotgun when the victim arrived to give a ride to Martinez's grandmother and her granddaughters. Martinez exited his residence, pointed the shotgun at the victim, and yelled "I'm going to kill you!" before discharging the firearm multiple times. The victim fled the scene in his vehicle.
The incident stemmed from a verbal altercation the previous night after the victim refused to take Martinez to purchase alcohol.
As police responded, Martinez attempted to conceal the shotgun under railroad ties behind a metal shed. He was apprehended shortly after and initially denied having a weapon, despite shotgun shells falling from his pockets. During a subsequent interview, Martinez admitted to the shooting.
Martinez will be subject to three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $3,900 fine.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Isleta Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case.
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Updated September 20, 2024
Topic
Indian Country Law and Justice
Component