ALBUQUERQUE, NM – A 32-year old non-Native man was sentenced Monday in federal court to five years for assaulting an American Indian child on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation.
Patrick Duran, of Albuquerque, was sentenced for the crime of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country.
Duran, who is not an American Indian, pleaded guilty on Aug. 26, 2020. In his plea agreement, Duran admitted that on Sept. 28, 2014, he assaulted John Doe, an Indian child, by acting roughly with him and caused Doe to suffer serious bodily injury including internal head injuries, seizures and hospitalization. The incident took place on the Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, according to a news release.
Upon his release from prison, Duran will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Jicarilla Apache Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Nayback and Nicholas Marshall prosecuted the case.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Deb Haaland Meets with Taos Acequia Leaders to Discuss Water Rights and Agricultural Preservation
Seattle Seahawks Tackle Preservation Projects at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center for Annual Day of Service
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
