Zuni Man Sentenced for Stabbing Unarmed Victim

ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man has been sentenced to 37 months in prison after pleading guilty to stabbing an unarmed victim with a sharp metal object, causing severe internal injuries that required life-saving medical treatment.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court records, on June 16, 2025, Adrian Cheama, 37, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, stabbed an unarmed man in the abdomen with a sharp metal object without apparent provocation, then disposed of the weapon, preventing law enforcement from recovering it. The victim was airlifted to a hospital, where he received life-saving treatment for the stab wound and resulting severe internal injuries. At the time of his arrest, Cheama denied responsibility for the stabbing.

Cheama subsequently pled guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. He was ordered to pay $36,567 in restitution. Upon his release from prison, Cheama will be subject to two years of supervised release.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case.