Zuni Pueblo Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Misdemeanor Assault Charge

ALBUQUERQUE – Malorie Reyannon Lujan (Lujan), 30, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo who resides in Bosque Farms, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to an assault charge.

Terrence Lujan, 31, an enrolled member of the Isleta Pueblo who resides in Bosque Farms, was arrested in Aug. 2016, on an indictment charging him with assaulting a woman on July 19, 2015.  The indictment was superseded on Dec. 20, 2016, to include Lujan and another assault charge.  The two-count superseding indictment charged Lujan and Terrence Lujan with assaulting two women and causing them to sustain serious bodily injuries.  According to the superseding indictment, Lujan and Terrence Lujan committed the crimes on July 19, 2015, on the Pueblo of Isleta in Bernalillo County, N.M.

During today’s proceedings, Lujan pled guilty to a misdemeanor information charging her with one count of assault by striking, beating or wounding.  In entering the guilty plea, Lujan admitted that on July 19, 2015, she participated in the assault of one of the victims by hitting, kicking and striking the victim, and by aiding and abetting others who assaulted the victim.  Lujan admitted committing this crime hile others assaulted the other victim.

At sentencing, Lujan faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison.  A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled. 

Terrence Lujan has entered a not guilty plea to the charges in the superseding indictment.  Charges in indictments are merely accusations and criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case was investigated by Southern Pueblos Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services and the Isleta Pueblo Tribal Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Murphy and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucy B. Solimon are prosecuting this case as part of the Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (Tribal SAUSA) Pilot Project in the District of New Mexico, which is sponsored by the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women under a grant administered by the Pueblo of Laguna.  The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project seeks to train tribal prosecutors in federal law, procedure and investigative techniques to increase the likelihood that every viable violent offense against Native American women is prosecuted in either federal court or tribal court, or both.  The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project was largely driven by input gathered from annual tribal consultations on violence against women, and is another step in the Justice Department's on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in tribal communities.