Santo Domingo man sentenced for sexually assaulting teen

SANTO DOMINGO PUEBLO — The New Mexico Department of Justice announced Dec. 9 that a man from Santo Domingo Pueblo will face six years in federal prison and 15 years supervised release for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old.

Jordian Pacheco, 33, was sentenced for grooming the female victim through social media and gaining unauthorized access to her home on the Navajo Nation.

According to court documents, Pacheco was arrested Jan. 10, 2021, after the victim's mother discovered him hiding in her daughter's closet. Navajo Police Department officers responded to the call and initially detained Pacheco, who provided false identification.

The investigation revealed that Pacheco had developed a relationship with the 14-year-old victim through TikTok and email over the course of a year. Pacheco, who was 29 years old at the time, did not disclose his true age to the victim.

On Jan. 9, 2021, Pacheco drove to the victim's residence on the Navajo Nation while her mother was away. He then engaged in sexual intercourse and other sexual acts with the minor.

During the investigation, it was uncovered that Pacheco had a history of contacting minors online using usernames such as "youngduke12," "Little Felon," and "Scott Little Felon." He tried to ingratiate himself with minors, requesting photographs and attempting to meet them at local high school sporting events while lying about his age.

Pacheco will have to register as a sex offender upon release.