TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The FBI investigates a wide range of crimes—-including crimes involving two hundred of the 574 Federally recognized tribes in the U.S.
KGUN9 got a rare look into the local FBI office and learned more on that part of the FBI’s mission.
A lot of criminal cases from the Pascua Yaqui and Tohono O'odham Nations end up at the Tucson Federal Courthouse because of the unique relationship between these sovereign tribal nations and the Federal government. We got an extra insight into how the FBI handles some of those cases.” 12:57:56
“It's unique and different than anything else that the FBI does,” says FBI Supervisory Special Agent David Neill.
He has spent about eight years working cooperatively with tribal law enforcement on the Pascua Yaqui and Tohono O'odham Nations. He says a lot of the work is homicides, assaults, child abuse and drug violations.
The FBI can’t discuss cases in progress but did tell us about a case that recently ended when a man named Pablo Martinez pleaded guilty to killing a six year old boy who was a member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. He told investigators he thought the child was possessed and poured scalding water down the child’s throat to drive out a demon he thought he saw.
Martinez is sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Agent Neill says work with the tribes calls for the understanding that helps investigators solve crimes and serve the communities they protect.
“There are different cultural considerations on each Indian Reservation across the country. Specifically here in Tucson, we work with the Pascua Yaqui tribe and the Tohono O'odham Nation, and learning about their cultures, being sensitive to their cultures, and having open communication with them is important.”
