U.S. Attorney Announces Abuse Conviction in Child Torture Case

ALBUQUERQUE – An Ohkay Owingeh man pleaded guilty in federal court to an assimilated charge of child abuse resulting in great bodily harm arising from a series of brutal assaults and torture of a five-year old girl that occurred over a seven-week period in 2021.

According to publicly available court documents, between May 20, 2021, and July 10, 2021, Christopher Marquez, 34, an enrolled member of the Ohkay Owingeh tribe, repeatedly assaulted Jane Doe with his hands and miscellaneous household items in a manner that constituted torture and cruel punishment. As a result, Jane Doe suffered broken arms, broken ribs, internal bleeding, and bruising.

Marquez will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has been scheduled for October 9, 2024.

As a part of his agreement, Marquez will receive a definite term of 18 years in prison at sentencing. This is the statutory penalty of assimilated first-degree felonies. There is no parole in the Federal system.

Upon his release from prison, Marquez will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark A. Probasco and Matthew J. McGinley are prosecuting the case.

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