A Taos Pueblo man has pleaded guilty in federal court to three counts of child sexual abuse. Ben John Martinez, 76, admitted to exploiting his traditional roles within the Taos Pueblo community to sexually assault minors during ceremonies and at his home between 2001 and 2010.
Martinez used his position to gain unsupervised access to children, including victims identified as John Doe, Jane Doe 1, and Jane Doe 2. He was taken into custody pending sentencing, which has yet to be scheduled. Martinez faces a potential prison sentence ranging from 15 to 40 years.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office.
The case was investigated by the Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany J. DuChaussee is prosecuting the case under Project Safe Childhood. This initiative aims to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse through collaboration among federal, state, and local resources.
The FBI continues its investigation into Martinez's involvement with other potential victims. Anyone who believes they may be a victim is urged to contact the FBI or Chief Summer Mirabal of the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety.