Police Reports for October 5, 2023

Tóhajiileehé man sentenced to 67 months in prison for sexual abuse of a minor

ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, the special agent in charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Christian Apachito was sentenced to 67 months in prison.

Apachito, 28, of Tóhajiileehé, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pled guilty to sexual abuse of a minor on Feb. 15, 2023.

According to court documents, on Nov. 11, 2020, Apachito, who was 25 years old at the time, sexually assaulted the victim, who was younger than 16 and older than 12 years old. In his plea agreement, Apachito admitted that he knew the victim was a minor at the time of the assault.

At sentencing, the court found that Apachito’s sentencing range was 135 to 168 months’ imprisonment, based in part on the court’s conclusion that Apachito used force during the assault.

The U.S. recommended that Apachito receive a sentence of 144 months incarceration. Apachito was sentenced to 67 months in prison and ten years of supervised release. Upon his release from prison, Apachito must register as a sex offender.

Crownpoint man sentenced to 12 years in prison for firearm offenses

ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, the U.S. attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, the special agent in charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Derrick Cook was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Cook, 28, of Crownpoint, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pled guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence on April 11, 2023.

According to court documents, on Aug. 27, 2022, Cook argued with John Doe 1 and his girlfriend outside the Crownpoint Trading convenience store. When an employee told Cook to leave, he fired multiple shots at the building from the back of a car.

Later that evening, John Doe 1 and John Doe 2 confronted Cook at his home. A fight began, and Cook shot both men. Doe 1 was shot in the left side of his chest/abdomen, which resulted in a collapsed lung. He was intubated to assist his breathing, given a chest tube to treat the collapsed lung and a blood transfusion, and underwent surgery to repair his injuries. Doe 2 was shot in the right elbow, resulting in a radial fracture.

Cook will be subject to 3 years of supervised release upon his release from prison.