A view of Nambe Falls at Nambe Pueblo in New Mexico. Photo by silviaorta
A non-Indian man has been charged for trespassing at Nambe Pueblo in New Mexico. Steve Romero, 32, was banished by the tribe in February for unspecified reasons. But he has repeatedly returned to the reservation, according to an affidavit filed in federal court, leading to his arrest last week. Romero is now facing a misdemeanor charge of trespassing. He is due to go to trial on August 8, according to a court document. Romero has a long criminal history that includes drug and domestic violence offenses, The Albuquerque Journal reported. When he was found on the reservation last week, he was holding a 10-month-old boy, according to the affidavit. The paper said the boy might be his child. Tribes can exercise criminal jurisdiction over non-Indians but only in situations limited to those covered by Violence Against Women Act of 2013. So some turn to banishment as a way to address repeat offenders or troublesome individuals. In South Dakota, a non-Indian man has been repeatedly prosecuted in federal court for trespassing on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation. He has continually violated a banishment order issued by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. Get the Story:
More tribes bring back sentence of banishment (The Albuquerque Journal 6/24)
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