Date: 05-20-2024

Case Style:

United States of America v. Tom Tso

Case Number: 1:22-cr-01858

Judge: Kea W. Riggs

Court: The United States District Court for the District of New Mexico (Bernalillo County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: The United States Attorney’s Office in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Defendant's Attorney:

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Description:

Albuquerque, New Mexico criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with Sexual Abuse
Window Rock Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse

A Window Rock man was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to abusive sexual conduct that occurred 20 years prior.

Jane Doe reported that Tom Tso, 85, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, had sexually abused her approximately 20 years earlier when she was between 15 and 17 years old while she was asleep at Tso's home. Jane Doe stated that she woke up to find Tso's hand inside her pants. She kicked him away, locked herself in the bathroom, and he tried to unlock the door to get to her before leaving.

The FBI interviewed Tso, a Navajo medicine man and Native American Church Road Man, in December 2021 and March 2022. Tso admitted to touching Doe inappropriately, but he denied penetrating her. He claimed that she had initiated sexual contact.

Jane Doe explained that the delay in reporting was due to fear, and that she reported these years later because, "There are children/women still in his reach" as a medicine man and road man.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Tso will be required to serve five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/

Outcome:

Defendant was found guilty and sentenced to three years in prison. After completing his term of imprisonment, Tso will be required to serve five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

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